14 years and 2 kids later

I was asked by my friend, Heidi, how I met my hubby. I have started to post the story so many times, but for some reason never did. So... because she asked...

I had just gotten out of a long, hurtful, abusive, horrible relationship with my psycho boyfriend. I needed some time away, and knew just the place... Savannah, GA. I was working for a company that had an office in the city, and I had made friends with one of the girls down there - we'll call her Kay. I called and asked her if she would show me around one weekend. She agreed and off I went. We went shopping, out to dinner, and down to River Street.

On Saturday night we decided to go out on the town. I told Kay that I needed a different atmosphere. My ex and I were into heavy metal and I didn't want to be around it. I asked her to take me to a country bar. I had never been to one and I wanted to see what they were like. I told her my goal for the night was to meet a guy, get his number, and then never talk to him again.

Famous last words.

We went to a hotel bar - I want to say it was Highway 201, but I can't be for sure. It was packed! Kay and I went to the bar and ordered a couple of beers. Seconds later this skinny little guy with a big gray cowboy hat asked me to dance - his buddy asked Kay. We danced to a slow song. I asked his name. He said "Carl". I tapped Kay on the shoulder and said "Thank god it isn't a MIKE!" and we started laughing. (That was psycho's name) I asked him where he lived, he said he was stationed in Savannah and was in the military. He asked me questions which I promptly answered. The dance ended and we went our separate ways.

Another guy asked me to dance. I did. I looked into the crowd and there stood skinny boy staring at me (I couldn't remember his name). He looked kind of miffed, but oh well. He'd get over it. But boy was he cute in his Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots and gray hat. Cute, I tell ya!

After a couple more dances with a couple more guys I started looking for skinny boy. I saw him standing at a table a few yards away. He had his back to me and was talking to another girl. I thought "Oh well." I turned back to the bar for another sip of my beer.

A few minutes later someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and there stood skinny boy. He was so close to me that the brim of his hat touched my forehead. I felt something brush my chin. (Now, if you know me, you know you DO NOT touch my face. I've had some surgery done for TMJ and I don't like people touching my chin.) Thinking he was touching me, I reached up to swat his hand away... only to find out it was a rose.

The girl he was talking to? The rose girl. He was buying one for me. (Go ahead. You can say it... awwwww!)

We were inseperable the rest of the night. When it was finally time for me to go back to my hotel (not where the bar was), I told him where I was staying and to call me in the morning. We were going to Tybee Island and I would love for him to go with us.

An hour or so later, my hotel phone rang. It was Carl. His buddy wanted to keep on partying but he was exhausted. He asked if he could come stay with me. I told him "Sure but don't expect anything." He agreed, but you KNOW he was thinking he was going to get lucky!

I remember thinking -- after I hung up the phone -- "what the hell are you doing?!" No one knew he was going to be there, Kay was at home and I didn't want to wake her up, I was all alone... holy cow!

He DID try to get lucky. Poor guy. I give him props for trying his best! It didn't work though. I was too afraid! I was taking a risk as it was, but then to SLEEP with this guy. No way. I spent the night fighting off his advances... looking back on it, it was pretty funny! (He later told me that if I had slept with him he would never have seen me again.)

Anyway... we got engaged 4 months later and then married 6 months after that. Of those 10 months, he was in Savannah for 9 of them. We would see each other on the weekend every two weeks or so. He got out of the military in April and we were married in May. I had NO idea who Carl was or what he was about.

I got lucky. So very lucky!

But to this day... when we argue... I always ask him "Why didn't I just sleep with you!?!"