Twelve years ago my biggest concerns were turning 30, whether or not I could smuggle a kitten into my fifties walk-up apartment, and what show I would move onto next.
There was never any concern living paycheck to paycheck. Even if I should have had some anxiety, who had the time, what with my busy schedule running from hair salon to lunch dates, dancing occasionally at night or spending half a paycheck on a couch I knew I would live with forever? (One thing is true today - I still own that damn green couch!)
I wasn't exactly a shallow 20-something. I went to church. I volunteered my time at the local dog shelter. I paid my taxes. But fear and doubt were simply not in my vocabulary. I would write for a living. I would meet a husband. And I'd have a stylish wardrobe while doing so!
One night my sister called me. "Do you want to go out with a friend of mine from work's husband?" she asked. (That's a quote.)
"Is he gay?" was my first response. The facts are, I was still mending a broken heart incurred by a man who left me for someone as good looking as my current spouse. Going through a canceled show was one thing, but I couldn't handle another Bruce scenario.
"Not gay, but possibly geeky... " she answered back. "All I know is that he works in computers, he's tall, and my friends are sick of him being the third wheel on their dates out."
"Why not?" was all I could muster. I could have cared less if it worked or it didn't. I wasn't a huge player, but I had my share of men asking me out. One more couldn't hurt, and if it went sour, it would be a fun cocktail story to tell. (Not that we went out for cocktails much, but I fancied myself quite hip in those days.)
What finally transpired was not a call from Rex, but instead one from my sister's friend from work. (Hint #1: Rex is not a talker.) "Hi, I'm Leya," she said. "Do you want to meet myself, my husband, and my husband's business partner for dinner on Thursday?" she asked.
Oooh... "business partner"... sounded fancy. I pictured an executive with a leather briefcase working on the 20th floor of an L.A. highrise. How was I to guess I'd land a sweet Italian in a pair of Kirkland dockers who ran cable for small business owners under the name 'The Computer Guys'? Life is fun for sure.
But back to my first meeting: Before I knew it, I found myself walking into a Middle Eastern restaurant located between a Greek owned Shoe Store and an icecream parlor. I ended up talking most of the night to Leya's husband, while my future hubby looked at me with what was either a puzzled uncertainty or amused admiration.
Twelve years later, I'm still trying to decipher that look.
How did you meet your spouse or current boyfriend? Was it a blind date? The internet? Did you love him? Hate him? Let's hear all about it!
* Photo of Rex and I back when I had good hair and he was sporting a unibrow. At least 1 out of 2 losses worked out!
Posted by Andrea Frazer
* Follow up to this post here.
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