How we met.

Mama M is hosting a Valentine's Extravaganza! I figured I'd give in to all the cheese of Valentine's Day and let in you in on an embarrassing way to meet your husband (or RE-meet your husband).

Ben and I went to high school together, but I don't think either of us spoke a single word to each other during the 2 years we were there together. (He is 2 years older than me). I even went to a party at his house once and still didn't say a word to him. (I didn't like all the uppity girls he dated and thought he was rather full of himself for a scrawny upperclassman.)

Fast-forward to the night we met: I was 3 weeks shy of 21 and had just gotten back from spring break in Key West with a very large group of great friends. That trip was exhausting and fun and something I will never forget...

(3 days before I met Ben)

We came back on a Friday and there were still very few people in our quiet college town, so two of my friends, Jenna and Rudy, and I decided to head up to a very classy bar: Fat Daddy's... Seriously... CLAAAAASSSY. Complete with redneck karaoke, out-of-order toilets and $2 32oz LITs.

So my two friends are playing pool while I'm sitting out on the edge of the room enjoying my very 'delicious' LIT. I was probably minding my own business, when a creepo thirty-something sits down next to me and tells me, 'I sure do like college girls with pretty feet.'

Wow... great compliment goon.

Still makes me shiver.

Anyways, the guy won't shut up, won't leave and seems to show up no matter where I go. My friend Jenna comes over and I tell her about my new friend: Pervy thirty-something. All of the sudden a guy I went to high school with walks across the room.

Me: "BRANDON!!!"
Jenna: (Looking at me like I'm an idiot) "I think his name is Ben."
Me: "Ohhh yeah...." 32oz kicking in. "Wow! Ben has really grown up!" (Seriously, the boy looked all of 13 the day he graduated. Thankfully college did a body good and he gained about 50lbs on his 6'4" frame).

So I try again...."BEN!!!!!!!"
Ben comes over and apparently has indulged in quite a few of the tasty $2 treats also. He says, "I know you two.... Uh....." He then tells us our last names and apologizes but cannot for the life of himself remember our first names. Ben quickly leaves to go back to his pool game.

Shoot.... I must have made a great impression on him in high school.... oh wait... I thought his name was Brandon.

A lightbulb goes off in Ben's head a short-time later as he remembers our first names and he rushes over obviously quite proud of himself that in such an inebriated state he was able to recall such crucial information.

Now, remember PTS (pervy thirty-something) from earlier? Well he is still following me around telling me really gross things and hoping to buy me a drink if I'd ever finish the first half-gallon.

When Ben came back over, PTS was off to the bathroom or something and I begged Ben to sit down next to me and pretend he was my long lost best friend and we had SO much catching up to do so this creep would leave me alone.

Ben (probably spotting my half-empty carafe) took the challenge and came to my rescue... PTS got mad and tried to get my attention once or twice more but I blew him off to catch up with Ben.

Minutes or maybe hours went by.... and Ben stayed by my side... and of course bought me a refill! He even made his friend sit by me for the few minutes he had to leave to go to the restroom... What a gentleman!

When it was last call, Ben and I quite possibly exchanged what I imagine to be a very romantic, not in the least bit sloppy-public 'kiss' and I tell him that we just are not done partying and we're going back to my friend's house to play cards. Ben of course wants to come (remember he is such a gentleman) and hops in the car with our sober driver.

So, the drive is a little hazy and the next part I remember is getting to Rudy's house very sick and immediately rushing to the bathroom. I then proceeded to spend the next hour or so throwing up the cheapest liquor you could ever imagine. Jenna is of course in the bathroom with me, b/c throwing up your entire night wouldn't be complete without your best friend telling you a bunch of nonsense at the same time, right?

All this time Rudy and my new friend Ben.... who do not know each other AT ALL... are in the living room together. Rudy comes to check on us (tired of the awkwardness, I'm sure) and I was so humiliated over my inability to handle my liquor that I tell him to do whatever he needs to do to get Ben out of there! Poor Rudy then drove Ben all the way home...

So the next day I wake up probably feeling like a basket of sunshine and am so embarrassed, but convinced and possibly relieved that I will never see Ben again. Not my finest night by far.

Three days go by and I get an email in my school email box. It said:

Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004
Subject: hey
i was just going to say high because i did not get your number the other
night and had a good time hanging out

well anyways give me a call sometime and we will do it again

ben

Notice the 'high'....
I was thinking, oh great... I've got a smoker on my hands who thinks that is funny. I found out later, he didn't even know he did this... so I didn't have a smoker, but rather someone who obviously doesn't proofread or use ANY punctuation. But Ben did have to go through the trouble of looking me up on the college directory... two points for Ben!

Well, I called him a few days after the email and 1 week after we 'met', we went on our first real (sober) date. The rest between then and now was wonderful and rocky and I'm so thankful God changed both our lives or we never would have made it through.