Our Love Story, Part 2 - Just Friends

Saturday, December 5^th - 

I woke up at Mom and Dad’s with a busy day ahead. Timothy had turned six on Thursday and his birthday party was that morning. After his party, I had to get ready for my office Christmas party.

Tim had a blast at his party. I did not enjoy mine. My cousin had set me up with his friend so that I wouldn’t have to go to the party alone.

His friend happened to be friends with my middle school boyfriend. I don't know why the guy thought it was his sworn duty to talk up the old boyfriend while simultaneously swearing like a sailor. I do know that night couldn’t end soon enough.

At the same time - during my disastrous night - John was having a miserable office party date.

Sunday, December 6^th - John came up to me after Sunday School.

John – after a minute of back and forth, “I’m going to stop by your office and take you to lunch one day.”

Me – “Boy, I work in Marianna, and you work over an hour away in Tallahassee. Quit lying.”

Monday, December 7^th – Just before lunch, our office meeting was over, and I started telling a co-worker about my weekend. I had gotten to Sunday’s conversation with John, and how nothing could come of that. In the middle of my sentence, I looked up. John was coming into our office.

John claims I lit up with a huge smile when I saw him. I remember uncertainty and confusion. I looked at my co-worker and said, “that’s him”, with bewilderment.

He asked me to go to lunch with him – as a friend – not a date. I agreed. Of course, I asked why he wasn’t at work.

The truth was an unfortunate/fortunate coincidence. Unfortunately, his brother had to have emergency surgery that morning and was in the local hospital. Fortunately, for John, that surgery allowed him to prove me wrong. Thankfully, his brother was going to be okay.

We had fun at lunch talking about our terrible Saturday night dates. We also exchanged phone numbers. It would be years before either of us had a cellphone. We exchanged home phone numbers as we made jokes about planning another not-a-date.

John took me back to the office. He promised to call me. We said goodbye with a smile and a wave.