May 11th is my wedding anniversary. Nine years ago DH and I said our vows in a quiet Florida church. Our wedding was perfect, the proposal eight months before on the beach was flawless, the original contact... not so much.
The first thing I ever said to my husband-to-be was, "Are you dead?"
That's not usually the jumping off point for a healthy relationship. It's worked for us, and it gives us a fun story for parties.
Even more fun are the stories of crazy proposals and first meetings that make you cringe. I love collecting stories of botched proposals a la Pride and Prejudice. Or beautiful exotic proposals like my friend whose long-distance boyfriend in the states flew her from Australia to Paris so he could propose to her under the Eiffel Tower. Talk about drama!
So, to honor my anniversary we are having a contest to give me more stories!
RULES
- Leave a comment on this post. In under 500 words tell me a true story of first meetings or proposal. The story must be yours.
- Contest is open internationally.
- The winner will be the story that makes me laugh, cheer, or otherwise swoon.
- The winner will receive a copy of CORDELIA'S HONOR by Louis McMaster Bujold, a perfect story with an awkward romantic introduction, a stuttering proposal, and an intricate romance.
- Contest closes May 12th at 9am EST. Winner will be announced May 13th. Feel free to comment on other stories and tell me who your favorite is. We might work out a prize for a crowd favorite if I like something better.
SIDE CONTEST: If you'd like to enter a proposal from a book you have written you may. Please label the entry as a fiction entry. The best fiction entry will receive a chance to promote their work on the blog. :o)
Now you must tell us the rest of your story, Liana! Can't just leave us hanging.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to all the contest participants. Would totally enter if I could. :D
When I met my husband, the first thing I thought - at the conclusion of the gathering where I met him - was "What an asshole". My next thought was "Glad I don't have to deal with him anymore." 12 years of being together and nine years of marriage later, I'm proud to say I HAVE dealt with him, stayed with him, loved him, and still love him with all my heart.
ReplyDeleteMay 4th was our anniversary of 27 years. We've been together for 30 and first met 32 years ago.
ReplyDeleteWe met when I transferred schools because our house burnt the day after Christmas. I actually met him through a new friend who took the bus at the same place I did. We met in the library and my first impression of him was "Wow, what a brown person". His hair was black, his eyes brown, skin tanned, and he was wearing all brown - shirt, jacket, and pants.
I couldn't think of two people who could be more opposite on first impressions. I was quiet, non-confrontational, and near the top of my academic class. He was loud, opinionated, loved to argue, and in the middle ranks of the general class. I have since found out that he is more intelligent than anyone gave him credit for.
My initial reaction to him was confused. I felt drawn to him yet repulsed by his love of arguing and strong opinions. He has never been what anyone would consider handsome yet I found his looks to be striking.
It was years before I found out that he had asked our mutual friend to introduce us because he wanted to meet me. He had already decided that he wanted to marry me. :)
Oh, and just because it's a fun fact, his birthday is May 13th. LOL
Way back when I was fresh out of high school I caved and let my brother take me to his weekly table-top role playing game. I'd been a gamer but not table-top.
ReplyDeleteWe went to his friend William's house and I was introduced to the group. I knew three of them, then my brother introduced Bob, the DM, I said hi. And then William came back in and Alex introduced us.
William was, at the time, was probably the best example of nerd I'd ever met. Coke bottle glasses, over weight, socially awkward. For some reason this mad me terrified of him.
It took over a year for me to really warm up to him. Two more for me to even notice that he had the slightest interest in me. But we've been together for two years now and it's highly likely we're gonna stay that way for years to come.
I know that I am late for your contest, but I just discovered your blog from browsing Critique Circle blog entries (instead of writing.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to share the most unromantic meeting ever. I was babysitting on a houseboat in the Hudson River. I had a nodding acquaintance with a guy who lived across the dock. I was staying on the boat for a week while the family was away due to a broken furnace in my apartment. The toilet got clogged in and my future husband came and unclogged a smelly toilet. We shared pizza and dated for a long time.
One of our dates was sanding the bottom of his houseboat, which was in a sling in a dock. The toilet in the boat was pumped into huge plastic jerry cans for dumping elsewhere. When my husband started teaching me to steer his boat, he took one of these empty jerry cans and threw it overboard saying, "This is me." I looked at him trying to figure out what he was trying to say. Was he saying he was feeling shitty? Turns out he wanted me to "rescue" the jerry can as if it was him who fell overboard.
So I can truthfully say we had a few shitty first dates. But I love the guy and we've been married 24 years with three kids all in college.
By the way on critique circle, I am wondering0