Tell me a love story!!!

[The_Universe]

Heartbreak, calamity, disaster: three words I often use to define the summer before meeting my now husband (The_Universe to most of you… Kennon to me). It all seems to petty now… but, when I was a junior in high school, I had my heart ripped out, stomped on, and chewed up into little pieces by not one but two boys that I thought for sure were just for me. I think every girl has one or two boys like that in her life… I just happened to have mine back-to-back. But, that’s not important… not what this thread is about.

So, I spend the summer after my junior year (2002) in a perpetual heartbreak-induced stupor. But then, one night at the end of July a friend named Nate asks if I would like to travel to Huron, SD (about an hour from my hometown) to play D&D with some of his friends from college… I agree… The DM’s name is Kennon. He’s three years older than me, and we have met before. He was a high school debater and, as such, went on to be a high school debate judge in his college years. I just happen to be a debater… so, we talk a little bit… after I get home, I ask around a bit and finally get him MSN Messenger contact info… I add him to my buddy list and we being talking.

He and I are both very outgoing in social settings… except for a setting that involves the potential of dating. We blush and sweat and become bumbling fools when faced with the prospect of dating… probably because we had both recently had our hearts broken… and so, we spend a few weeks talking innocently. I try my hardest to flirt… but, I’m not very good at it. I even went so far as to go visit him in his college town—never telling him that the reason I went is just to see him.

He is funny and caring. He’s cute and interesting. He’s smart and creative. The exact opposite of every man I had ever dated in my long, long 17 years.

However, one night over messenger, I confess to Nate that I really, really like his friend Kennon. Coincidentally, Kennon just happens to be telling Nate the exact same thing about me. So, finally, after months of shy giggling and small talk over messenger, Kennon asks me out... read a little something like this:
“Liz… I was wondering… would you like to… maybe… go somewhere… sometime… *cough blush*… with me?”

I squeal with joy and agree. So, he surprises me in my hometown that next weekend… brings me flowers and takes me on a real date (I had never been on a real date) we go see the movie Zoolander on September 29th… less than 15 days into the relationship, we confess that we believe we are in love… Love (the big L makes a difference)… and the love story really begins.

Throughout my senior year of high school, we date long distance. Talking on the phone every night… seeing each other on weekends. It’s hard… but, we pull through it… the summer after my senior year, Kennon interns in Washington, DC. I come to visit and we have the time of our life… and begin shopping for wedding rings.

Everyone says that we’re too young. We can’t be in love… and that we’re moving to fast. But, I don’t listen. In November 2002, we get engaged… he gets down on one knee and it is absolutely beautiful.

In May 2003, Kennon graduates from college and I complete my first year of undergrad. We decide that we want to move and pack up and leave for Washington, DC.

In December 2003, we get married and spend our honeymoon in Disney World. Every time someone out here in DC sees my wedding ring they gasp in shock… “You’re only 20 and you are MARRIED?!” But, I cannot think of a better way to spend my young years than with Kennon… we get to enjoy being young together and that’s something that I know we will value for the rest of our lives.

So, this was long and, it could have been so much longer… but—there it is… a little piece of The_Universe and Queen_Dopplepopolis’ love story…

There's not very much I can add. She tells a good story, and I would take nothing from it.

BUT, for the record: the flowers that I so romantically brought her were left at the above-mentioned Nate's house not once, but twice.

Also, for the sake of completeness, after the movie we drove around her home town talking and holding hands for about 3 hours. It was a great date...I've never had better.

 

[kenobi65]

I fear this one rambles a bit, too...but I'll share. And, it's even gaming-related.

I started playing D&D when I was 17, near the end of my junior year in high school. Within a month or two of discovering the game, I joined a group of players, most of whom were in their 20s and early 30s. One of those players, Tony, was a college student at the nearby university (Wisconsin-Green Bay); Tony and I became fast friends. (Tony wasn't from Green Bay, but from suburban Chicago -- this becomes important later on.)

After I graduated from high school, I went off to college at Wisconsin-Madison, about 2.5 hours away from Green Bay. But, I still went back to Green Bay every few weeks to visit my parents, and play with my old group. (I should also point out that, at that point, I was quietly dating Ann, a 32-year-old divorcee, who was one of the other players in that group. I'll save that story for when someone asks for lust stories. )

At any rate, in January of '84, during my freshman year of college, I came back to Green Bay for the weekend. At the same time, Tony had two young women, high-school friends of his, come and visit him for the weekend -- Chris and Karen. They came along with him to our D&D game on Saturday, so I got to meet them. I thought Chris was cute, but I was dating Ann. (Apparently, Chris thought I was cute, too, but she was dating her high-school sweetheart, Steve, at the time.)

Ann and I lasted about another year, on-and-off, before we broke up. After Ann, I had another girlfriend (Meg) through most of the rest of my undergraduate time, but that didn't work out, either. Then, I stayed in Madison for graduate school.

Early 1989, I was about to get my Master's, and I landed a job in Chicago. I contacted Tony -- after graduating from Wisconsin-Green Bay, he went back to Chicago, and had been living with his folks. We decided to rent an apartment together, and I moved down to Chicago in May of '89.

A few weeks later, on the 4th of July, Tony invited me to come to a party at the house of a friend of his. Turns out this friend was the aforementioned Karen, recently married. One of the other guests at the party was...Chris. Hadn't seen her in 5.5 years. Still cute. Only, now I was available. Turns out she was, too. We spent most of the day flirting.

Problem was, she wasn't living in Chicago; she was just visiting. She was in Florida, living with her dad, and going to school -- she'd dropped out for a few years, but gone back, and was just finishing her degree in teaching. So, she headed back home.

I spent most of that summer and fall bemoaning my lack of a love-life to Tony; he kept saying, "Wait until December; Chris is moving back here." (Turns out Tony and Karen were in collusion, as Karen was saying much the same thing to Chris.)

Chris got her degree just before Christmas, and returned to Chicago. Karen and her husband Frank hosted a New Year's Eve party that December, and invited Chris and me. We spent the evening talking, and kissed at midnight.

Things blossomed from there, and we were married in August of '92. We're still together, still very much in love. And, I'm the envy of many of my gaming friends -- Chris loves RPGs, too, and plays with me in three different gaming groups.

So, thanks to D&D, I meet my soul-mate. Cool, huh?

 

[Desdichado]

Hah, great thread! Too bad I'm seeing it when I'm trying to get out of work to go home, actually. Oh, well, here's an abbreviated version...

I first met my wife at a dance in high school. I asked her to dance; we did New Order's "Blue Monday", which is still one of my favorite songs today. Partly because of that. Oddly enough, she doesn't remember meeting me until nearly six months later, at a youth summer camp kinda thing we did... She thought I was older; a college student working as a counselor or something like that. Actually, I was between my junior and senior year in high school.

That year (she was a year behind me in school) we go out a fair amount, but more as "friend dates" than real dates; essentially we're friends who hang out together. Neither one of us is seriously dating anyone else, but both of us are going out with other people from time to time, though. Somehow, though, even then, I knew there was something about her that I couldn't quite let go of...

After high school, I move to Argentina for two years, and she goes to school out of state as well. Although not terribly dilligent, we write each other a fair amount during this time. Then, a little while later, both of us find ourselves back in our hometown going to school at Texas A&M for the summer, and beyond. She's practically engaged to some guy she met out of state, but I'm suddenly deciding that it's time to get serious. We start dating very seriously, and before we know it, this "other guy" has the boot, and we're engaged over the Thanksgiving holidays.

In June of that next year, we got married. I was 22½ and she was still 20, although only for a few more weeks.

In June of this year, we just had our tenth anniversary.

 

[nakia]

Then, a little while later, both of us find ourselves back in our hometown going to school at Texas A&M for the summer, and beyond.

College Station, apparently, is a love hot spot.

Or just hot.

My wife is class of 2000. I finished my MA there in 1999.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

In December 2003, we get married and spend our honeymoon in Disney World. Every time someone out here in DC sees my wedding ring they gasp in shock… “You’re only 20 and you are MARRIED?!” But, I cannot think of a better way to spend my young years than with Kennon… we get to enjoy being young together and that’s something that I know we will value for the rest of our lives.

Age matters not...the strength of the bond between two people is all that matters.

Oh, and I've never met a couple who honeymooned at Disney World who didn't make it last. 11 Years and still going strong for us. While on our honeymoon there we had dinner at the Japanese steak house in Epcot and met a couple celebrating their 11th anniversary. We said we would go back in 11 years and have dinner there and meet up again. Unfortunately the real world got in the way and we couldn't. I wonder if the other couple made it...

 

[Desdichado]

College Station, apparently, is a love hot spot.

Or just hot.

My wife is class of 2000. I finished my MA there in 1999.

We were there at the same time; I'm MBA class of 2000; Bachelor's class of 94.

 

[Gilladian]

I met my husband when I was 14. He was 20. Where? At the Centurion Hobby Shop in Copperas Cove, Texas, during a gamers' club meeting. That was in 1979. Our first date was that Saturday night; he took me to a friend's DnD game. I had to take my older brother along as a chaperone! We created characters, played one combat, both died, and went for a walk in the moonlight. I knew right then that he was special. And I think he did, too.

We dated for 3+ years (moved to Vermont during that time, he lived with my family) and when I turned 18 we got married and returned to Texas. We celebrate 22 years in January. Gamers make great husbands!

Gilladian

 

[Naathez]

First of all , thank you Queen Dopplepolis for starting the thread. On dreary days, this is just what one needs to hear.

My turn?

August 1999. A friend of a friend of mine is getting a house with his girlfriend in my town - and we're asked to go and help them with the moving. When we get there, we see the girlfriend in question (who lived in some 30 miles away before) brought a dear friend of hers to help; she's from her same town, and so she'll be staying at the two's new house while they settle, for a couple weeks.
I remember seeing her at the top of the stairs. And thinking.. don't you all laugh now - "She's so beautiful. Pity she talks so much." (The poor soul hadn't OPENED her mouth yet. But I have a good instinct. ) Anyway, we all spend whole days at the house, as there's LOADS of work to do, moving furniture, repainting, cleaning, unpacking and everything that one WOULDN'T wnt to be doing in a hot August. We usually have dinner there (Guy's a cook) but not before 10 PM or so. Then my friends drive home , and I say I'll stay over, chat a little more, and then walk home - "It's the nicest walk in town, so quiet!" I say, every night. Not mentioning it's also about 4 miles without streetlights AND without a sidewalk - and cars speed over practically 2 inches from my arm. But I don't care, 'cause that way I get to talk with Sara.
And we talk so much... that one night I overstay. I simply stay there until at about 4 o'clock AM we kiss, and I laugh and say "then you DO love me?" and she laughs and says "I must be crazy but yes I do".

I flew home (without even needing to cast the spell) a couple hours later.

the 5 following years we manage to meet every weekend, my mother doesn't want us to be together so she cuts my University funds and I have to get a job, we have little money and to spend the weekend together we sleep in the back of a friend's RPG store. With no heating. For a whole winter.

Well, things got better. It's been an year of us living together on Sep. 25th this year. Sara, me, and our cat Quesse.

Oh, and as a side note, all of the people that contributed to our meeting went to that same RPG store, and actually we knew each other from playing. So D&D gave me my wife. No sweeter roll has ever been made on a treasure table.

 

[barsoomcore]

The debate over who kissed who first will probably never be resolved. By now it's one of the touchstones of our marriage -- our squabbles over who gets to claim bragging rights are too entertaining for our friends.

I met my wife because I was dating one of her friends. That relationship ended VERY badly (I tried to do the decent thing, but nobody takes getting dumped easily, and she was pretty heartbroken), and the future Mrs. Barsoom spent many afternoons listening to her teary friend expound upon my many failings and character flaws.

We had two classes together that year: Shakespeare and Romantics. I was the loudmouthed knowitall who irritated everyone else; she was the well-dressed saucy one with a tart observation ready to take anyone down. Especially me. She was sarcastic, smarter than anyone, better-read than anyone, and much, much better-dressed than anyone.

She always wore a hat. She was short, curvaceous and walked with such a sashay to her that you could recognize her by her shadow. Even bundled in a parka against the Calgary winter, you knew it was her coming just from the way her hips rolled.

She was the coolest woman I'd ever met. Way, WAY too cool for me. So I broke her friend's heart and she listened to THAT side of the story.

I spent the summer growing my hair out. In those days, I had a LOT of hair. By next September, it was past my shoulders, very thick and straight. We had an Elizabethan literature class together, and her eyes lit up at the sight of my locks.

She liked long hair. Who knew?

We spent most of our time drinking, smoking, arguing about poetry, and pretending we weren't madly attracted to each other. Then came Hallowe'en. We decided on a joint costume -- she (short and curvy, remember) dressed as a man and me (tall, gawky and so long-jawed I can nearly open bottles with my chin) in stockings and a dress, with my long hair curled. There's a picture of me sitting on her lap -- you can barely see her straining face.

Somewhere around there we found ourselves, drunk as per usual (we did a truly frightening amount of drinking in those days -- we once shook off the haze to realise we'd been drunk daily for something like two months straight), lazing about on some armchairs in an abandoned university lounge. Which is where we kissed.

She SAYS that she kissed me first. That's clearly wrong, since my memories (such as they are) have me kissing her first. She, however, refuses to see reason and has stuck to her story ever since.

I graduated from university a year before she did and took a job teaching English in Tokyo. Before I left, I took the claddagh ring she'd always worn on her right hand, turned it around and replaced it. For those of you who don't know, the claddagh is the Irish symbol of two hands holding a heart with a crown. There's a pattern to how the claddach is meant to be worn: right hand, crown out means single; right hand, crown in means engaged; left hand, crown out means married; left hand, crown in means widowed. So by turning the ring around and replacing it, I was in effect putting an engagement ring on her.

We were sort of sober for once, and she asked me very seriously if I knew what I was doing. I nodded. She asked if I was still going to Tokyo and I nodded again, and asked her to wait for me. She said she'd join me when she finished university.

We spent fourteen months writing each other letters every week. I didn't have a phone so that was our only communication. We'd write pages every day, and at the end of each week just bundle them up and send them to each other. Both of us being writers, it was a natural form of communication for us, and we poured our souls into those letters.

Fourteen months later she came to Tokyo. We lived in a one-room apartment that was not more than twelve feet across for two and a half years. Surrounded by Japanese people on all sides. Drinking like fiends and smoking and arguing about poetry the whole time.

We came back to Canada, decided to live in Vancouver and let her mother organize a massive wedding for us in Calgary. Her father's pipe band friends played, our man of honour stood up and sang "Dirty Old Town" a cappella, we danced to "Just One of Those Things", and the Anglican pastor who'd changed my life by teaching me Aikido married us in his full regalia (along with motorcycle boots under his robe). It was one of the best parties we'd ever had.

That was seven years ago. Now she's writing a novel, we game together constantly, and are happier than ever. My hair's not long anymore and there's not so much of it. She's still better-dressed than anyone. I'm not quite as loudmouthed, though perhaps still pretty irritating. She's still sarcastic, smart and well-read. We don't smoke anymore, don't drink so much, still argue about poetry and no longer pretend we aren't madly attracted to each other.

She's still the coolest woman I've ever met. Way, WAY too cool for me.

But I kissed her first, and don't let her ever tell you otherwise.

 

[Desdichado]

So are both of you Irish, or just her?