The Story of Us Part 4 ~ the party

How it began ~

We actually 'met' about three times. (really) I'll start with the last one.... just so I can try to have this make some sort of sense for you.

It was around September 1999. All my friends were out of town camping. Except one. I was hanging out with her at her house downtown. We heard about an acquaintance of ours having a house-warming party that night and decided to crash it. What else did we have to do??? Nothing.

That is where it happened. We met at the house-warming party I crashed.

It was actually a very profitable party. I met another life-long friend there, and she met her husband there. Two marriages from one party??? That's a good night! ;)

At one point in the party, I admit it, I was getting bored. There were so many people, and everyone was having a good time, but I was tired of small talk. I just stood on the stairs for a minute surveying the people and the party. Then a mutual acquaintance came over and introduced me to Patrick. But I wouldn't end up remembering him as "Patrick". I remember meeting this 'guy who worked in finance' while I stood on the stairs. The convo did not last too long if I remember correctly.

Sad to say, but the first encounter I really remember wasn't all fireworks and stuff. That's okay. 
A few days later, I met this new group of friends from the party at a Japanese restaurant. Patrick was there. What I didn't know, what that he was trying to sit next to me. That didn't happen. He missed by a few seconds and two chairs. (awww... so close. I could totally see that in some romantic comedy script. Maybe you just had to be there....)
Anyway, I happened to walk to the restaurant - it was so close, and I'm a walker, so I figured why not??? What I didn't expect, was everyone going to an ice-cream shop downtown afterwards. Guess who I rode with?? uh-huh.... yep. He made sure we were in the same car. Then he came and sat at my table during ice-cream. Then, on the way to all our cars for the ride home, the girls jumped on the guys backs for a ride. Guess who I ended up with??? Shocking coincidence mmmm??? Or maybe a very clever young man made sure he was in the right spot at the right time. I was not 'aware' of what was transpiring. I was not yet the smitten kitten, but he was intrigued, and apparently a Liv Tyler impersonation I did on that drive home helped seal the deal! ;)

He 'planned' a seat next to me during church one Sunday. I was the only one in the group that was in the choir, so I was the last one to the seats. After that Sunday he asked for my email. (that's right - not a phone number. I guess email was just 'safer'.) I didn't expect anything for a few days, but he emailed within two hours. I didn't get it until Monday, as it was my work email, and we corresponded for about two days. It was then he asked for my phone number.

I remember running to the offices of my girlfriends down below mine and reading them the emails and saying, "What should I do??" in a high pitched excited voice and completely stumped. They just looked at me and laughed and said... "give him your phone number!!"

And so it began....

Well... sort of.... It still took me a little bit longer to get a clue. We had our first 'date' in Oct of '99. But, I'll save the story of that disaster for later.......