David and I met through the internet, as members of AOL, through their service, "Love @ AOL". Our first few months had some difficulties, not the least of which was our finding out I had breast cancer. But love is stronger than cancer. First, God brought me through it, but without David, believing I could survive might have been impossible. With David, I believe everything is possible.
I don't want to use a lot of clichés, but true love IS worth waiting for, even if it takes 45 years to find.
I suppose it's too late for me to worry about being trite, huh?
In September of 1997, David and I met online through
Love@AOL, and began writing email, as well as sending Instant Messages
back and forth. Initially, on my part at least, there wasn't a "love
connection", although I found him very interesting and enjoyed our
correspondence. He was working long hours 6 days per week at that time,
and I was flirting and corresponding with several men on line at the same
time, so on occasion, David became frustrated while trying to "converse"
with me. But he kept coming back. Because we had never met -- I had a
policy of never giving out my phone number until after I had met someone
face-to-face -- (and I was using my girlfriend's computer) many times I
wasn't online during the time he would be, so there would be email waiting
for me the next time I was able to get on the computer. David impressed me
with his humor, romanticism, intelligence, (and persistence!). I began
pressing him to meet me. He would talk about wine-tastings (see his
website http://www.avondalebeverages.com
) and his job at the liquor store, and I wanted him to meet me to have a
glass of wine together, but he never agreed. (I found out later that he
was in the process of disentangling himself from a relationship that he
never really wanted to be involved with in the first place, and was having
a difficult time of it.)
Suddenly he was ready, but I was in the
hospital! This is another story, which I will synopsize by saying that I
developed a bleeding ulcer and needed a transfusion, so I spent about 4
days and three nights in hospital getting blood and recovering. When I had
been there about a day, my best friend Joanna (she of the computer I had
been using) kept track of my email and other messages and advised certain
men I was corresponding with what had happened to me. David was the only
one who went out of his way to contact Joanna and get the telephone number
of my room in the hospital. He called me one evening and we had the
loveliest of conversations. His voice was wonderful, he was extremely
sweet and thoughtful and caring - so far, everything I wanted. He was
going to call me the next day, when I found out I was being released, and
went to Joanna's for a few days to get my strength back.
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Once I felt strong again, or at least close to it, I agreed to go by the liquor store where David worked to meet him. That afternoon I was so nervous, and when I got near the store I saw him outside checking in a wine delivery. (I'd seen his picture on-line, so I knew it was him -- Joanna thought he looked like Johnny-Fever from WKRP in Cincinnati! And, he did!) :) I got scared, and went around the block a couple of times, then parked where I could scrunch down behind the wheel and spy on him without being seen. Finally, after 10 minutes or so, he went back into the store and I got up the nerve to go in. As I walked in the door, I saw an older man at the cash-register (his boss and the owner, I would soon learn) and then I glanced to my right, because I saw movement out the corner of my eye. There was David, putting cases on the transport-belt going down into the basement, and he glanced at me, then lowered his head, then just as quickly looked back up and smiled, since he now realized it was me. |
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He walked me toward the coolers in
back and we had a conversation (about phyloxera! look it up) and what
else I do not remember now. He was sweet, kind, and so very cute! I
wish I could remember every detail, but while I was going through
radiation treatments, my mind lost a little something... it's gotten a
lot better since then, and I don't forget things like I used to. But
haven't there been times in your life that you wish you had known how
important something was going to be so that you could have taped every
moment? That's how I feel about our first few days. We made a DATE! David and I went to Geja's (a fondue restaurant in Lincoln Park) and then to a movie in Lincoln Village, "Devil's Advocate" with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves. Dinner was wonderful, romantic and very expensive! I suppose he was out to impress me. What I remember most about the evening is our walking to the theater from his Dad's car in the parking lot and I said to him, "Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to spend the holidays with?" He agreed. Little did we know... David still reminds me of this comment every special occasion we celebrate. |
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| When he took me home, he tried to kiss me and I told him "This isn't going to be a make-out session!" What a brat I was! But I saw how dejected he looked as I walked towards my apartment, so I came back and leaned into his open window and gave him a kiss. When he got home he called me and we talked awhile. I really liked him, but I was torn because there were now two men I wanted to date. (Another Love@AOL connection) | |
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David invited me over for dinner at his apartment the next evening, and I went. He was so persistent and sweet, and we had so many things in common. I don't think I've ever known a man as good and kind as he is. After all the losers I have known, he was a rare exception. The next day he phoned and asked me to come back again that night for dinner, but I had a date already with this other man. It was to be our second and I really thought I liked him too. Fortunately, I have never been the kind of woman who could date two men at the same time, and David sounded so dejected when I told him I had other plans, after we hung up I sat and thought about David and Marshall, and tried to come to a decision. I thought that if I went ahead with the second date with Marshall, I might possibly jeopardize the relationship that David and I were just beginning. There was just something about David, so I called Marshall and left him a message that I was unable to meet him that evening. Then I called David back and said I would come over. He sounded so happy! That was on Saturday night. Saw him again on Sunday, he just seemed to love having me over and cooking dinner for me. On Monday, I invited him over for football and pizza. By Tuesday, we were making plans for our future. That weekend, I moved out of my apartment and in with him. I know it was quick, but I wasn't working and couldn't stay in my place any longer without income. I'd filed for unemployment, but that wasn't enough to meet the rent and utilities. David approached it as helping me, even if it wasn't permanent. Within a couple of weeks we realized how permanent we had become. I have never been as happy in my life as I have been with David. |
| Almost two years later (on October 31, 1999), we are still just as happy (if not more) and have been through many trials. The problems we have had have only strengthened our commitment to each other. Because we dislike giving evil any attention, I won't bore you with any details about some of the baggage we brought with us or any of the other things we have had to deal with since getting together and falling in love. It is enough to say that good does triumph over evil and true-love can happen, and make every part of your life better, if you just have enough faith and determination. Do the right thing and you make good things happen. | 
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| David says, it's all about attitude and approach. How right he is! |
