Where We Met

The night of September 15, 1978 I went out with my girlfriend, Terra, to the Starry Plough, an Irish Pub in Berkeley to listen to live music!

There was this good looking guy sitting across the room who caught my eye. I smiled at him. I can't remember if he smiled back or not or if I'd have been able to see the smile behind that long red beard of his, but his eyes sparkled.

I may have smiled again ... and then I turned around toward the stage to watch the musicians. And listen.

A while later, I felt a presence and looked up. There he stood, all six feet of him, dressed in an off white Henley and jeans with holes in the knees.  And yes, that huge big red beard! And he said: "Is anyone sitting here?" (about an empty chair, and no one was, as Terra had gone off to talk to someone she knew there) ... so I said "No" and he sat down.

This was 35 years ago now, so I probably do not recall the exact words exchanged, but we did talk some, and then Terra came over and said it was time to go home. He said he'd give me his phone number, but he didn't have a phone. So would I give him mine? I did.

It took him a week, he said to get up the courage to call. He did finally call and he asked me out on a date to the renaissance Faire. I said I had just gone with someone else. He said he didn't have a plan B.
So I said, okay, I'd go. That was our first official date. We have been dating ever since. (Well, we actually got married on April 1st,  1985, but you know what I mean) Happy First Meeting Anniversary to us!

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 THEN .....................

and NOW ...............

 A lot older, grayer, and even more in love!