Crazy to think that this past autumn, almost exactly twenty years ago, I met James in college here in San Luis. And it took us all that time to strategize and plan and finally make it back… We still laugh about the Valentine’s Day when he took me to dinner at an ocean view resort in Pismo Beach.
We had a reservation, but still waited hours for our table. Apparently he’d taken a bunch of money out of the ATM and it was meant to last the entire weekend. Flush with cash, he made the mistake of ordering lobster <MP> that night. He was totally mortified when he abandoned the entire contents of his wallet with the bill, and we had to stiff the waitress her tip.
We absconded, both giddy and guilty, like we were dining and dashing.
James has always been one of those guys that’s somewhat anti-Valentine’s Day. (Or Valentimes, as Nate still calls it.) No, he doesn’t wear solid black and march against Hallmark, but he’s been pretty *meh* about the whole thing in all the time I’ve known him. So let’s just say I was certainly surprised when he chose Valentine’s Day to propose sixteen years ago.
I was sick as a dog.
I remember we went to the movies– I think we saw Chocolat. And then we went to dinner in downtown Mountain View. He proposed to me on our hand-me-down couch in the middle of our little apartment. I was profoundly happy and surprised and congested. I didn’t cry. And he’ll never let me live that down. Though I’m pretty sure I’ve more than made-up for my previous reputation these last ten weeks.
His rationale? Maybe if something important, like proposing, happened on Valentine’s Day, then he’d be more inclined to celebrate. Well… that was his theory anyway. I do have to say that Jacob confidently asserts he likes lobster more than crab (yes, he’s a seven-year-old with definitive opinions on lobster), primarily because his dad has been known to cook us a romantic February 14th family dinner, including chocolate fondue for dessert.
James’ throat is hurting pretty badly this week and he’s graduating almost entirely to soups and smoothies. I’m thinking this weekend I should make lobster bisque and fondue. We’re pretty sure he’ll have no problem choking down melted chocolate…
My little late night creeper is back. Sneaking up on me while I try to blog on the couch. I quickly pause the TV and serendipitously, it freezes on a Bravo ad, one moment before an open-mouthed kiss.
“Gross, kissing!”
So romantic.
