Well I'll add my story to this as well. Correct me if I get anything wrong here Empty Shell.<P>It was January of '92. I was working at McDonald's part time while I was going to college. My parents were paying for room and board and my tuition but I was working for spending money at the time. I was a second semester junior at the time. My H had moved from CA to the college town the past October and was living with his parents at the time. His stepfather wanted rent while he was there so he started working at the same McDoanlds I was working at. <P>In March of that year a friend of mine and I decided to meet at a bar for happy hour with some other friends. We meet for the 11pm to 1am happy hour and before we left work that afternoon we invited Empty Shell to go along and meet us there for fun. We didn't think he went out with too many people from work and thought it would be fun if he came along.<BR>We had drinks that night together with friends.<P>A couple of days later we decided to meet again at the same place for drinks again but during the 4pm - 6pm happy hour. We ended up at a different bar with his sister, her boyfriend and other friends. We were "drinking buddies". I ended up inviting him over to my house one night for dinner. (We had spagetti). Before he left that night he kissed me. Big shock to me. Not to long after that we were at his sister's house. He was leaning up against his car and we were talking. It was then when he asked me if he could kiss me again because he realized that the first kiss kind of shocked me. Of course I said yes. We were engaged in May of '92 after meeting just five months before and the rest is history. We were married in September of that same year. <BR>

Well....I'll add mine too....<P>1992..I was in the Air Force and had just been stationed at an AFB in San Antonio. I repaired telephones and systems on the base I worked at. One day I was working in a building where alot of civilians worked and spotted the most gorgeous hispanic woman that I had ever seen(I love hispanic women). But true to my nature I was too shy to talk to her. Months went by and I was always seeing her. Why was I always seeing her you ask?<P>Well, I began to sneek into the building and cause troubles with phone wiring on her phone and others around her. Then they would have to call in a trouble ticket and guess who got to go out and fix all of the phone troubles. You got it!! ME!! So after months of casual "hello's", one day I was taking a break on the back dock of her building(close to where everyone left to go to lunch) and her boss was walking outside and saying something to someone back inside. She was saying "I'm going to tell him!!" and laughing. I asked her boss what she was going to tell and she said that the pretty hispanic girl in there liked me. HEAVEN!!! My stategy worked.<P>After 2 hours of debating with myself and shop-mates, I ended up going over and asking her out. She said yes and we never looked back. We dated for 5 yrs and have been married for 2. <P>We are almost 6mos into recovery from her affair and she and I have NEVER been happier. These principles work. This board and its members saved my life and marriage. She tells me now that this is the happiest that she has been with her life EVER!! God I love that woman...

Oh mine's a great story too!!<P>I had just broken up with a JERK and was finally happy on my own with my 2 kids. My friend had just broken up with his girlfriend and was very depressed, so I took him out to a karaoke bar to cheer him up (thinking my singing would do the trick). I am pretty good at it, and the people at the place all knew me. They called "Charlie" and the guy that leads the karaoke said "you'll love this guy...his singing makes your hair stand on end! He's great!" BOY was he ever! After he was done, I went up and suggested perhaps we do a duet sometime. Then he left.<P>The following weekend I went back, hoping to see him. He was there!! We talked all night, sang duets, and by about 10 p.m., I excused myself to the bathroom and panicked. I knew this was him, THE guy, and I didn't know what to do. I was so afraid I'd blow it. Well, he felt the same way, and we stayed until closing. We talked in the parking lot, then when everyone left, we, um, well, *blush* on the steps and we've been inseparable ever since. Best friends, perfect mates, and partners.<P>God blessed me with a this man, and I adore him!<P>Tracy<P><P>------------------<BR>"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."

H & I met 10.5 years ago. We lived 30 minutes from each other but we met in another state. I was visiting a friend that I worked with over the summer in a beach resort town at her college. H was visiting his childhood friend at his college. My friend(N) and H's friend(J) were dating. H made a wisecrack remark about my clothing, but he seemed like a nice guy. We started dating when we got home from that weekend and I really wasn't into a serious relationship because I was still hurting from my past one. Plus, H was too nice. H kept persuing me and actually my supervisor at work talked me into giving him a break because he was such a nice guy. I'm glad I listened to him. It wasn't love at first sight; I like to say he grew on me like a fungus. We were engaged 9 mos later and married 1.5 years after that. <P>I definately believe it was fate that we met. I couldn't imagine being married to anyone else or having anyone else's children. Our youngest son(5 mos) looks just like H, so I can fall in love with him all over again. It's comforting and heart wretching at the same time.

This is a great idea. I always like to remember this story!<P>As a kindergarten teacher age 26, I did not have many opportunities to meet eligible men, so I moonlighted as a cocktail waitress. One evening two tall handsome young men walked in. One (my future H) ordered a coke with no ice. I thought that was odd, and said, "This is a bar, people traditionally spike coke with some sort of alcohol here, and certainly don't leave out the ice!" He responded that he was from Holland and Europeans did not put ice in their drinks, and that he had flown in and could not fly home if he drank. I did not believe either statement, and said, "Oh, sure, Spreckenzie Dutch?" He answered, in dutch and I realized he prob. was telling the truth about flying too! We teased each other the rest of the evening, he asked for my phone number and called me a week later. <BR> On our first date, dinner at a TGIFriday's, he demonstrated what the term "going Dutch" meant when he stated after the meal that he had "forgotten to refuel his wallet!" Being the independent woman that I am that was ok with me. I paid my part and some of his! I was totally taken with his cute accent, boyish charm and humerous use (or mis-use)of the English language. He was a flying instuctor at the time, working to build up hours for bigger and better things.<P>On our 2nd or third date we let our physical attraction have the best of us and became inseperable after that. Unfortunately, a previous, improperly treated STD, reared it's ugly head and I became infected. I thought it must have been an undetected condition from one of my encounters prior to meeting him, and was very embarrassed to mention the situation! I felt really bad! When I did finally broach the subject, he was horrified, because he was the one who had not finished the full perscription of the antibiotics he had been given several months before. What followed was abstinence from fulfilling our sexual attractions toward each other for about 6 weeks as we both completed the antibiotice routine. We were married about 8 weeks later. Two weeks after our marriage, being an uncircumsized European, he developed a painful condition (from increased use ) which required minor surgery! Abstinence again for 6 weeks!<BR>Two weeks after his full recovery, he got a job in another city, requiring our separation for approx. 5 months! Abstinence, abstinence abstinence!!!!!<BR>The job did not pan out and when he returned home, guess what, I got pregnant. Not entirely an abstinence situation, but close!!!!!! Six months after the birth of our son the near rape experience occurred! (See Lost Soul's Post about needing sex.)<BR>Is it any wonder our sex life has been screwy?<P>Now 18 years later. I am a new woman and we finally are experiencing the freedom and playfulness of a satisfying and exciting sexual relationship! All, I can say, is....."It's about time!"<P><BR>

I lived in the SF Bay Area and my H was stationed at The Presidio. A friend of mine had a barbecue and I was invited. We met at the barbecue.<P>After the barbecue, a group of us went to SF to hang out. I had no clue that he was interested in me, but on that evening, he asked me for a date.<P>On our 1st date, we had a great time doing all the tourist-like things in SF. A bird even plopped on my head! Gross & embarrassing but we laughed about it afterwards....<P>He was so fun to be with (still is), kind and considerate.<P>I wasn't looking for a relationship because I had just gotten out of a bad 1st marriage but somehow felt that he was the one for me.<P>Is it when you aren't looking for something? Somehow, it comes to you?

Cool thread!<P>My story is kind of different and very long. I was legally still married and bartending, Tuesday through Saturday. I had told my X that I wanted a divorce, he was an alcoholic and would not admit we had problems(he also cheated on me the whole 5 years we were married, I didn't know until after we were seperated) He still lived in my apartment and slept on the sofa. I had ask for a divorce in March, 19885 and he said he would stay until he found a suitable place to live. By August or September I was tired of waiting for him to move and started to date others. Since we had had little face to face contact since March, I felt that he was using me for a place to crash. Prior to my starting dating, my H and his friends had been in the bar and we had gotten an ice storm during the evening. I was very nervous about driving home that night. One of his friends worked with me on the weekends and said that they would give me a ride home, since they were going that way and that way we would all get home safely. So I accepted. I didn't know my H that well because he only came in occasionally, he had been dating a girl that was really rude to him. The rest of his friends were regulars. Anyway, he had the most beautiful blue eyes and smile, I had ever seen. After the ride home, I had the biggest crush on him and used to try to bump into him, but he wasn't around much so, I didn't get the opportunity. I didn't tell a soul because he was 7 years younger than myself and had never been married and I didn't feel it was right.<P>Well, because we worked on the weekends, the owner of the place I worked and her daughter and some other friends and I used to go out on Sunday evening to a place that had music on Sundays and party. One night, we decided to take a guy with us, because there was a singles club that went there on Sunday nights, too and they were all people in there 50-60(the lady that I worked for loved it, cause she was that age, but we had no one to dance with) The rest of us girls ask some one to go, just as friends. The guy that I ask to go with me called the bar where I worked and had to back out. One of his parents had gotten seriously ill and he had to make an emergency trip back to New York to be with them. So I was "dateless". My H friend was working that night and said that I should ask my H to go, I said No, that I didn't know him that well. My H's friend waited until I went to the bathroom and told him what was going on. When I came out and we were getting ready to leave, my H's friends said to me, H would like to go with you if you want, he likes to dance. My heart stopped and I said Are you sure? He said yes, and the rest is history. We were inseperable after that first night. I went through a lot of feelings about the age difference but it never bothered him. I found out later, that my H had talked to his friend about me and said he would love to go out with me. He didn't know until that night that I was getting divorced and when his friend told him, he said that he would love to go with me. Fate was playing a hand in it. I am sure of that. We married a year later in October, 1986. We have had some rocky times. But all in all we have had a good marriage. I, too, feel that his affair was a wake-up call for both of us. If we had continued the way were going, we would have ended up hating each other and divorcing. I will always love my H with all my heart, and I feel we are on the road to recovery. It's not easy but nothing worth having is.

I'm finally getting back to this thread..... <P>I met my H in a C&W bar. It was Tuesday, May 19, 1992. I had gone there with my old college roomie for a drink, and we were "guy watching". She was complaining about not knowing how to flirt, so I was giving her some lessons. I picked this really cute guy in a black hat sitting at a table across the room, and bet her I could get him to come and ask me to dance in less than an hour. So, I began my "this is how you flirt" lessons..... I gazed at him & then smile and looked away whenever he would look at me. I made sure his friend saw me looking at him whenever possible.... etc, etc. (even from the dance floor). Well, it only took about 45 minutes, and he walked up and asked me to dance... We started talking, and found that we had been working in the same mall for almost 2 years, and had lots of mutual friends. Strange thing is we had never met. (One of my good friends during college worked for him, and had tried to get me to go out with the "work group" seveal times, because she wanted me to meet her boss... but I never did). We danced about a dozen times that night & talked and talked. Before he left, he asked for my #.... I grabbed a pen, but he said he would remember ... he forgot , and called me at work the next day. We had our first date on May 21st. I was hooked when he showed up at my door with his hat in one hand, and a single red rose in the other..... and we were inseperable from then on. Moved in together in August. Got married twice... (yes twice, but that's another story). <P>Wow, this brought back a bunch of great memories..... Maybe we should start a "Greatest Date" thread.....<BR>B<P>------------------<BR>My favorite quote....<BR>"Hello, this is God. I will be handeling your problems today. I will not need your help, so sit back and have a good day."<BR>

I met my wife in the 3rd grade went thur school together Married out of high school 27 yrs of marrage later I m in trouble <P>------------------<BR>

Me too! This is so romantic, reading about everyone!<P>I was a freshman in college. I walked out of the locker room after my survival swimming class and was joined by a senior who walked me back to my dorm and asked me out. Barely even glancing at him I responded with "maybe." It was my first week of classes and I already had plenty of dates. Well, he persisted by calling me and I finally decided I needed to check this guy out. I took a good look at him one day during ROTC training as he played football. I ran into him a few days later in his uniform and that was the end! I didn't date anyone else after that!<BR>11 months to the day after we started dating he proposed, and 9 months later we were married. In those first few months together we would get up on a frosty Washington, DC, morning and help each other into our uniforms. Then we'd leave the dorm and walk a few feet away from each other to drill, pretending that we didn't know each other because we weren't supposed to be dating!<P>Lizbeth<P>Stonehenge, where did you go to boot camp - CA or SC? I was in Parris Island 5/91 to 9/91!!<P>

Well, lets see, the first time Mike and I met, we were kids, and I mean kids, not even teens. His step-dad played music with my uncle, I met Mike at my uncles bar. He beat me at a game of pin-ball. That was it, just kids.<BR>Then, I guess 10 or 11 years later, I was living with someone and we had gone out, in fact, we went to the same bar my uncle owned, when we were ready to go home we called a cab. The driver was a woman, a strange woman. She kept telling us all about her 19 year old boyfriend who's mother hated her, she was 27. When we got to our house, she asked if she could use our bathroom my boyfriend told her sure, the two of them got to talking and the next thing I know I was being told that the taxie driver and her boyfriend would be coming over for dinner the next night. <BR>Well I could cook, not like I can now, but some. I made spagetti for dinner, but forgot to drain the grease off the hamburger meat. Don't ask me how I forgot that. Anyway, after dinner we were all drinking, I was having black-berry wine, my boyfriend was having beer, and Mike's girlfriend was drinking Bacardi 151 and coke. And Mike, well Mike was drinking a little of everything we were. We were sitting around talking, I liked Mike, he and I were both native Texans, while our so's were both from up north, so of course we had to verbally fight the civil war again. In the middle of the conversation, Mike threw up on my floor, yep, that was just so sick. Then he passed out. We put him in our bed and his girlfriend and me and my boyfriend all went out together to drink somemore. When we got back to the house, Mike was still sleeping and had barfed again in our bed, on my boyfriends side. We were able to wake him up, and they left. I didn't think I would ever see them again. I was wrong. About a month later I left my boyfriend,I met and married my first H who's name was also Mike. 4 months later he commited suicide. He was a friend of Mikes, and a lover of Mikes girlfriend. She had a lot of lovers. I mean a lot. Anyway again, about a year after first h died, Mike and I got together. Confusing isn't it?<P>------------------<BR>Just call me - Deb<BR>------------------------<BR>The only day I can do anything about is today, yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not yet mine.<P>

I love these stories, they make me smile.<BR> I was 16 and working part time at an ice cream & sandwich shop. The most gorgeous guy<BR> started coming in there, he was so cute, I<BR> couldnt look at him, he had real dark hair<BR> and beautiful blue eyes,he would smile at me<BR> and I felt my face turning blood red. I wasnt usually shy but for some reason I would get all tongue tied when he was around.<BR> Anyway,he started talking more and more and<BR> hanging around alot,he wasnt stuck on his self like I thought he might be,he was sweet and funny.This is so corny lol, but one day<BR> he kept saying he wanted something sweet<BR> and I told him all we had was ice cream,<BR> he said I'll take the 'pie' , I was like what pie?? He says ,you ,cutiepie, and so the name stuck! Oh gosh, I have to laugh when I think about it.So we went out and I guess I probably knew then ,he was the one<BR> for me.The kids make fun of us when I tell them that story and my co-workers kid me about my nickname , but I dont care. Ohh<BR> we need more good memories.

Lizbeth,<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Stonehenge, where did you go to boot camp - CA or SC? I was in Parris Island 5/91 to 9/91!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I attended the fine establishment on the West Coast from 4/91 till 7/91. What was your MOS?<P>------------------<BR>"S t o n e h e n g e"<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>"In the valley of the blind the one eyed man is king"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Stonehenge (edited September 20, 1999).]