The 15th Anniversary of the Day We Met

Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the day I met my husband, Thomas. It is a source of some debate. Let me share our story.

I lived in college housing in St. George, Utah. My Grandmother Carpenter lived in Madisonville, Kentucky. She was very ill. My father told me she did not have much longer to live. (Mind you, she did not pass away until 30 April 2011; yes, fifteen years later!) I scraped together what little money I earned after paying all my bills and purchased a plane ticket that took me to Evansville, Indiana just north of her locale. I did not have any transportation. My roommate and very best friend, Brittany, just returned from Finland so I asked her to drive me to Las Vegas, NV. She did not like the idea of two young women driving to Vegas and having to drive back alone. She contacted the Elder's Quorum President and asked if there was a young man available to drive down with us. The Elder's Quorum President volunteered the Elder's Quorum Secretary. This was Thomas.

I talked to him briefly over the phone and thanked him for doing this. I told him I would cover the cost of the gas and I would like to take him and my friend out to dinner to say thank you for going out of their way. He added that he would need to pick up his brother from the airport before dinner. So it was four for dinner on my tab.
I will never forget the moment Thomas showed up at my doorstep. He was wearing black denim shorts and a black Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt with a few tiny holes in it. He was carrying a book. I remember thinking, "All this guy needs is a little duct tape on his glasses and he would be a bona fide NERD!" Thomas, Brittany and I left for the two hour drive to Vegas. On the way down Thomas was rocking out to the Kingston Trio. I had never heard of the group but thanks to my Dad I knew all the lyrics! We sang almost the entire way down. Thomas even quizzed Brittany and me on why one of the Kingston Trio songs was banned from the airwaves for a while. Of coarse, I instantly got it right.

Thomas, Brittany and I went to the airport first. While going through security (Remember, this is well before 9/11.) Brittany was selected to be searched, or more specifically her miniature (super teeny-tiny) day planner was searched. I had never seen this happen before I asked the normal questions: who, what, when, where, why, how, grrrrr..... The airport security said it came down from President Bill Clinton. I emphatically said, "What a jackass!" The airport inspector proposed. I smiled and we left.

I wanted to take our little group to one of my favorite Vegas restaurants: Steven Spielberg's Dive. Brian sat down first. Brittany sat next to him. (Do I squeal on my best friend and mention she had a crush on Brian at the time?) I sat down across from Brian and Thomas sat next to me. This is where my version and Thomas's version GREATLY diverge. I have several nervous habits. I talk more (Yes, I already talk a lot!) and I fidget. So I was probably babbling up a storm but more specifically I was bouncing my legs up and down. According to Thomas, I was rubbing his leg the entire time. I, quite frankly, think he is out of his mind. I do not remember that happening and based on the details I am recounting here and my acute attention to detail I believe it supports my supposition that it NEVER HAPPENED! They dropped me off at my hotel, Circus Circus, and they were off; I was set to fend for myself.

Thomas and I disagree on when we started dating. He changes his date constantly and the latest version insists that this was our first date: a blind date set up by my friend. Poppycock! Although he insists on this being our first date I do not think any of this account supports his position. Yes, I may have paid for dinner BUT not as a date. I absolutely hate putting people out. Or, asking anything from others. I really wanted to make it up to them and since we were going to be in Vegas at supper time what better way, eh? Food does not always a date make. There was never any mention of thinking of this as a date until today. And, I would bet Brittany and Brian would both agree it was not a date. Thomas is just making fact out of fiction. I do believe that after I allegedly rubbed his leg he thought I liked him because he started hanging out at our apartment all the time. But that part of the story is for another time during our Fifteenth Anniversary Year. (There are practical jokes, toilet papering and proposals to write about.)