And They Said It Wouldn't Last...

If you thought my Birthday a few days ago was cause to celebrate, this weekend, Perfect Wife and I celebrate our Second Wedding Anniversary!

When I refer to her as "Perfect Wife", I am not exaggerating. In previous posts on this blog, I have often put forth the question of why such a beautiful, smart, kind, caring, funny, etc. woman would see a goofball like me as ideal husband material. Whatever her reasons, it's too late for her now. Barring intervention from the courts, she is stuck with me.

Since it is our anniversary, allow me to tell you the tale of how I went from a happy bachelor, to an even happier married man.

When I was growing up, there was a family down the street from us that had a bunch of cute daughters. The future PW was the middle daughter in this family, and in my unbiased opinion, the cutest. My two  sisters used to babysit for the family, and although I had no personal contact with any of the girls, I at least assumed they knew who I was, since our neighborhood wasn't that big. I certainly would have liked to have talked  to them, but they didn't seem too friendly. I later found out they were all painfully shy, but at the time I thought they were stuck  up. Actually, I sometimes suspect that the whole "we were shy" story was a dodge, and they really were a bit stuck up.

 

I grew up  and moved out of the neighborhood, and kinda forgot about that family. Every once and awhile though, when I was with former neighbors, this family's name would come up, and we would wonder what happened to them.

Fast forward 20 years or so. I was appearing in a local community theatre production of "Seussical the Musical". I was playing the Cat in the Hat. (If you are wondering how I kept my dignity while prancing about the stage in a cat suit and a giant red & white striped hat, the answer is, I couldn't. Maybe someday I'll get liquored up and post a picture of myself in costume, just for laughs.) Before the first rehearsal, I was perusing the cast list, when I noticed the name of  the cute girl from my old neighborhood! Could this be the same person? I went to the first rehearsal, and it turned out, yes, it was the same girl from the old neighborhood! After rehearsal was over, I went up to say hello to her. I felt she'd be thrilled to see someone from the old neighborhood.

She wasn't.

When I introduced myself, she looked at me blankly. I reminded her that my sisters used to babysit for her family. She told me she remembered my sisters well,  she was just surprised to learn that they had a brother. I was aware I was not the most popular kid in my neighborhood, but I didn't realize until that moment that I was also a nonentity. To her credit, I think PW wife felt bad she didn't remember me. I think.

As the weeks of rehearsal passed, we spent more time talking to each other and then we segued into emailing each other once and awhile. Then, we started emailing each other a lot. I developed a huge crush on PW, but I wasn't sure if she had any interest in me. Her behavior towards me seemed to indicate that she did at times, and then other times it seemed like she was once again unaware I existed. It was like reliving high school relationships all over again.

Eventually, we made our feelings known to each other, and found out that we both  felt  the same way. In deference to those of you with weak stomachs, I will spare you the mushy details of our courtship. We ended up getting married, and the rest is history. We are truly best friends, and I cannot imagine life without her. She claims to feel the same way.

 If I have any regrets about our relationship, it's only that I wish we had gotten together 20  years ago. Apparently though, the woman has to be aware the man exists for that to happen. I am sure people are jealous of our marriage, and they should be. 

So take heart, dear, lonely, reader! If I could manage to meet the person/plant/thing of my dreams, you can too! Just get yourself out there and start looking! You'll find them.

I just hope you don't have to dress up as The Cat in the Hat to  do it.