How We Met
By Frank / Metron
Many of you may be
wondering how Lana and I first met. I take great pleasure in telling this story, because it was a turning point
in my life, although I was unaware of that at the time. I can say that with much honesty because meeting the person
you intend on spending the rest of your life with is, indeed, a pivotal point in a lifetime.
We were both in Chicago that year, for a gaming convention at the Marriott Suites. The Online 
community of Neverwinter Nights is a tight-knit group of gamers and role-players,
but most importantly, of friends. My only intention, going to these conventions, was to have fun with my friends
from around the states, people as close to me as my friends at home. I didn't have much contact with Lana before
Chicago, I'd seen her name around here and there, and I'd spoken with her in passing a few times, but nothing meaningful.
That is, until Chicago.
We were in the room of a mutual friend the night of April 17th, 1997. That was the first time I laid eyes on the
woman I would eventually come to know as my fiancée. A portion of the group left the room for one reason
or another, including Lana. I elected to stay behind, because quite frankly, I was comfortable on that couch. Lana,
before she left, asked me to safeguard her drink until she returned. This I did, gladly. Gods she was beautiful.
Nothing and no one would touch that drink. Especially me! When she got back, it was safe and sound. I was rather
proud of myself, moreso because I'd finished my drink and started eyeing hers with temptation. (Don't tell her
that!) I think I impressed her with my strength of will.
The next evening, Friday, was very memorable. A large group decided to go out to a nightclub that someone recommended.
I had a rental that weekend, so I volunteered to drive. As luck would have it, Lana ended up in my car. After an
hour-long trek to the club, we were rather disappointed when we found we couldn't get in because some of us weren't
dressed properly ::embarrassed cough::. Our resident guide told us of another club, the Blue Note, that we all
could get into, so we all hopped into our cars and off we went. The one big flaw in the plan was that everyone
was parked in different places, and I believe we were the farthest. By the time we got to our car, and to the place
where everyone was supposed to meet, everyone was already gone. Now folks, this is around midnight in the outskirts
of Chicago. I'm in a rental. Of the 5 of us in the car: me, Lana, Chyanna, Froggie and Marknight, not a single
one of us knew where we were going, or more importantly, how to get back to the hotel! So we did what anyone would
have done faced with this situation. We drove around and around, stopped at a few places asking for directions
(Yo, Bruno!), and never did find that club. Eventually, however, I did manage to get my people back to the hotel
through an amazing feat of ingenuity (that and a 5 buck gratuity to the transient at that gas station gave me accurate
directions back to the freeway).
I got to see Lana a bit more during that weekend, and much to my amazement I didn't make too much of a fool of
myself (or at least she didn't seem to mind if I did). When that weekend was over we started talking more, and
seeing each other when we could. One thing led to another and on May 25, 1998 (Memorial Day) we became engaged.
But that's another story.
Newsletters
Issue #1
How We Met - by Frank
Issue #2
How We Met - by Lana
Wedding Discount through Southwest
Finding Airfares to Orlando
How We Met
By Lana / Tarma
In the last issue,
Frank got to tell his story of how we met. It's a good story, but not quite accurate. You see, he is telling of
the second time we met. Let me tell you about the first time we met.
I was dressed in my guise of Tarma, in the on-line world of NeverWinter. I had dropped in to the Great Hall Tavern.
Unfamiliar faces and little conversation made the night dull.
Then in walks Metron: he glared balefully about the tavern before looking over the bar, and finding no tavernkeep,
poured himself an ale. (Now, Tarma and Metron had never met before in NeverWinter. However, Lana had browsed through
pictures of NeverWinter's people who had gone to the in-person gatherings. I had seen a picture of Frank, Metron's
player, and thought he looked like an interesting and nice person. The Metron I had seen in that tavern did not
seem as nice.)
Tarma was not scared off by Metron's dark and glowering appearance, though. Pulling out her +3 pink ticklefeather,
she decided to liven things up in the quiet tavern. Metron did not expect the attack. He issued shouts and fierce
giggles enough to clear all the tavern's patrons out of the way. He glared at Tarma and dove for her. Tarma did
a quick dive-and-roll over the bar and peeked out from behind it. Metron's face wore an expression of both bafflement
and anger. Tarma grinned at him then scampered away to the other end of the bar.
Metron was still trying to decide what to make of this attack - but it was a mostly harmless attack by a small
(and cute) dryad who didn't seem to have any fear of him. As Tarma popped up at the other end of the bar, Metron
placed both of his fists on his hips and glowered at her. Tarma grinned more brightly: he had left himself open
for attack. She dove toward him, +3 pink ticklefeather outstretched. She tickled him all the way down his right
ribcage, leaving him howling with laughter on the floor. She skipped away and blended in with the woodwork. As
he snickered and gasped and recovered from the attack, a lady of the Mech guild came in and grabbed Metron's attention.
Tarma slipped out of the tavern, while I grinned at the fact that I had made myself known to Metron. A few months
later we met at the NeverWinter gathering in Chicago. I found out that he did remember the tavern incident. Or
at least he says he remembers it.
