Saturday, February 14, 2009

An Unconventional Love Story - Part 1

Happy Valentine's Day!

I thought I'd put it out there...our unconventional love story. I have a horrible memory and I'm embarrassed to say that I've already forgotten details. I can't wait to compare notes with Scott after he's read this...he's got the memory in this relationship...

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In college, Scott and I met through a mutual friend. Actually, Yael was one of my two best friends and roommates. She and Scott had just spent sometime in Europe with a small group of other students and became good friends. But when they returned she introduced me to him and somehow I stole him. I didn't mean to. She and Scott remained good friends but Scott and I became great friends.

He was the friend that I did all sorts of random stuff with. We would go to W@lmart at midnight, The Salvation Army looking for Halloween costumes, driving around town looking for something, anything to do, etc.

Scott was a grade higher than me. But after he graduated, he stayed in our college town so we were still able to hang out. After I graduated, I wanted to go back to Europe (I had spent a semester there in college) before I settled down to find a job. Scott also wanted to go back. So we spent a month backpacking through Europe.

On the trip, Scott wanted to see the leaning tower in Pisa, Italy. I had already been there on my previous trip and wanted to visit new places. I tried to convince him that maybe we could split up for a couple of days. Scott is not the most adventurous traveler and the thought of being alone in a non-English speaking country was not something he was comfortable with. But I wouldn't budge. I wasn't going back to Pisa. (You'll need to know this because it plays into our honeymoon.)

Many of our friends, Yael included, thought for sure that we'd come back from this trip as a couple. In fact, after one month with no one to talk to but each other and close quarters, we barely said goodbye to each other at the airport when we got back in the States.

After some breathing room, Scott and I resumed our friendship. Scott ended up moving from our college town to "the big city" and I headed to my parents because I had a difficult time finding a job.

While living at my parent's house, Scott managed to visit me once. He had just had his wisdom teeth removed and was driven up by some friends. They dropped him on my parents door stop and disappeared. Because he was on serious pain killers I didn't know what to do other than drive him around and see the local tourist sites. While driving him on the world famous 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, Scott fell asleep. I didn't know what to do with him so I just kept driving. The lush golf courses with herds of deer, the amazing beaches with huge waves crashing on the rocks, the magnificent mansions, the famed Lone Cypress...he missed it all while dozing. (You'll need to know this info because it plays into the marriage proposal.)

And all the time, Scott and I had a strictly platonic relationship. Lots of acquaintances and even friends assumed otherwise but Scott and I were just best friends.

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Wow...this story is taking a long, long time to tell. I guess I'll have to finish it another day... Besides, I'm guessing Scott will have some corrections for me!


7 comments:

  1. I want to say that I am a long time reader (and even longer time admirer), but a first time commentator.

    I am Scott.

    It's VD (its barely the 14th; it is technically the earliest hours of the morning but really it is late at night) and Carey is asleep. I fell asleep earlier tonight (technically, it was yesterday now) when I was supposed to be helping her get the kids ready for bed. Carey let me nap because I obviously needed the rest (plus, two nights ago it was she that fell asleep).

    As Carey has mentioned before, we are complimentary individuals. First, she is a wonderful wordsmith while I am grammatically challenged. I mention this first so that you will understand if something is misspelled or I miss words or I use the wrong word or place a comma in the wrong spot. English is my first and only language. I will understand, however, that after reading if you think otherwise. Some believe that Gibberish is my first language and the only one that I have ever mastered. But, I digress.

    Second, she is a loving and openly caring individual while I tend be more reserved.

    Third, she can multitask. I cannot.

    Forth, I can remember things. I have memories of being 4 and possibly younger. Carey cannot. She can barely remember 2008. [But, here’s a strange fact/twist: I have trouble remembering people (sometimes, I will forget the names/faces of people that I work with everyday) but Carey is great with names and people.]

    We are obviously “wired” differently. But, it takes both of us to create this beautiful circuit that lights our world (continuing the wiring metaphor... or is it a simile). And this is a world that is better than I could have imaged. I love that she challenges me emotionally, creatively and intellectually. I love that she makes me laugh. I love the way she loves. I love our life, our children. I love her.

    But, now I need to address the contents of this post.

    1. I never went to “The Salvation Army looking for Halloween costumes”. No, what I did do was go dress shopping with her when she went to my fraternity formal. [She went to this formal as the date of someone other than me. I never went to one of fraternity’s formals.] Also, I once went to help buy international car insurance so that she could drive in Mexico while on a date with her sorority. [I was not her date for that occasion either.]

    2. She got it right that I did, in fact, stay in town while Carey was in her last year of college.

    3. And she got it right that we went to backpacking in Europe after she graduated. And that after that month, we really needed a vacation from each other.

    4. And after some breathing room, Carey and I did resumed our friendship.

    5. But, then she has some facts wrong. Carey did head to her parents because she had a difficult time finding a job. But, she eventually did find a job (not a career) that lead her to the “Big City”.

    6. It was about 4 four months later that I then moved to this “Big City.” This only the begin of where Carey’s story get chronologically out-of-whack.

    7. When I went to visit her at her Parents it was over a year prior to the timeframe that Carey mentioned. We had only known each other about three months at the time. So, we had not been to Europe, yet. We had only gone to W@lmart a dozen of times. I drove myself to her house. I believe I had my wisdom teeth out on a Saturday. On the following Sunday night around 11pm, myself and two friends drove up to county where Carey’s parents lived. One these friends had to be in court in that county by 8 am. That afternoon we ended up at a friend of my friend’s house in a nearby town. There, I passed out from fatigue and pain medicine. It was blurry and uncomfortable night on a couch that has seen one too many sleepovers. The next day I drove about hour to Carey’s parents house. The rest of the encounter is correct (I kind of have to defer to her memory because I was asleep). I do recall sleeping on the floor of her room. And I do recall that she gave me some Ibuprofen. My biggest regret of that trip, however, is that this would be the closest that I would ever get to a person that is very special to Carey. This person and I were both in that house at the same time and I believe that I heard his voice in another room, but we would never actually meet. [I’m being vague about this special person out of respect for my wife. It is her story.]

    So, overall, I don’t think she did too bad with story. I eagerly await the next chapter in this book that shall have no ending.

    Happy Valentines Day. I love you.

    Scott

    [BTW, I swear it was St. Valentine’s Day when I was kid. Wasn’t it?]

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  2. What a great story so far, and I love your husbands fixes. Great memory! I have the memory in our relationship, and after three kids mine is starting to slip...who will remember anything then? lOL

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  3. Woohoooooo!! You did it, you started writing your story! I was hoping you would :o) I love that Scott busted out of Lurkdom and commented :) He's very cute and funny!

    OK... officially on the edge of my seat, this is my turn to bug you for the rest ;) Puhleeeaaaaase??!

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  4. You guys are so adorable!! I Love it!!!

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  5. Oh my gosh..this is officially the cutest story...plus w/ your husbands version it's even so much more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Love it!!!!!!!!! Don't keep us haning'!!

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  6. Ok, I was there (in the way background trying desperately to get details out of you) since I am one of the 2 BF's. But, it is so fun to read how it all happened. I loved reading your posts and am anxiously awaiting the rest of your story-even though, technically, I know it already! :)

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  7. This is hilarious! I can't believe you left your love story as a cliffhanger! I want to read more....

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