Before Mrs. Koog came into my life I was like a piece of space junk orbiting the atmosphere, dangerously bumping into other junk. I wasn’t lost per se, I was just going around in a big circle. I thought I was in love with another woman, Island Girl, that lived outside of the US. Actually, she had just told me she was looking to move to the States when I met the Missus.
We met online. It’s kind of funny, actually. A friend of mine saw the craziness of my orbit and took matters into her own hands. She signed me up for every online dating platform available in 2004. Match, Plenty of Fish, E-Harmony, even J-Date and I’m not Jewish! I was amused and mildly annoyed at my friend after telling her I met and liked Island Girl.
I thought I’d taken all the profiles down and on Valentine’s Day 2005 I got an email. Except, I wasn’t there to receive it, I was on my way to visit Island Girl. After my visit I returned home to an email from this new girl. There was no photo. Ick. I’m self aware enough to admit I’m shallow. If there was no picture, she must be heinous. Nope, pass.
Except, my work friend had a feeling this woman was special. I disagreed. Plus, responding to her on this obscure dating platform costs $20 and I didn’t need to pay for a date with a beast. My work friend paid the $20 and wrote the response herself. Why are all these women medaling in my dating life?! Turns out work friend and the one that put my profile across the internet were not fond of Island Girl. They didn’t dislike her, they just didn’t see it ever progressing. Alas, they were right.
Mrs. Koog and I emailed for about a week before we had our first phone call. To put this time in a “historical” context, our phone call was scheduled for 7:30 because I needed to be off by 8 to watch Donald Trump’s Apprentice. Don’t judge. I liked him as a host, not necessarily the leader of the free world.
Anyway, at the end of that conversation I was breathless. We made another phone date for the next night. I couldn’t wait to hear her voice again. Our conversations were so easy. We were so very different but had so much in common. She challenged me, not in an aggressive or competitive way, but in an absolute equal kind of way. Oy, I was smitten.
We continued our phone calls and emails. It was the best part of every day. I’d get a stomach tickle when I’d see her name pop up in my email or on my caller id. This woman had me in knots. I wasn’t sleeping. She was part of almost every thought and daydream. This is something. SHE is something.
She traveled to California and back with her sister for a sporting event. We still found time to chat daily. When they flew back from California, she flew into Philadelphia. She called as she got in her car to make the 3.5 hour ride home. We talked the whole way. We talked the whole night. Falling asleep on the open line, I could hear her breathing. This woman is magic.
Our first in person date was scheduled for March 15. I was taking her to dinner at a Firefly, a trendy restaurant in DC and to the midnight show of the musical RENT. Nervous is a complete understatement as I prepared for the evening. I was both a wreck and completely at ease. So strange. Oh, I was also sweating. I rode with the AC and the cooling seats on the entire way to her house! The car must have felt like a meat locker when she got in, I will have to ask her if she remembers.
Upon arriving in her neighborhood, I saw a lady walking around like she was waiting for someone. Dear God, please do not let this woman be her! She was at least 70. Luckily, I was still a block away. As I pulled into her driveway, I had butterflies. What the actual F was happening to me? I was usually really good at dating and nerves were never a part of the equation. I took a deep breath and rang the bell. She opened the door and I was done. Not kidding, it was like getting hit with a 2 by 4. Whap. Done.
She was stunning in her purple blouse and gray pants. I’m vertically challenged. She is not and she’s got a few inches on me. Didn’t matter. This was a perfect fit. Also, I noticed she was wearing flats. So thoughtful, I said to myself. This woman is magic. That’s the refrain that ran through my brain all night.
We arrived at dinner and I couldn’t stop looking at her, she was just perfect. Apparently, I did scare her with the speed of my salad eating. She was concerned if she got too close as I shoveled the lettuce into my face she’d get bit. I mean, she wasn’t wrong. Even during the meal, the conversation was easy AND she didn’t speak with a full mouth. I couldn’t say that for all my dates.
As the waitress cleared the table and we waited for dessert menus she went to the restroom. Yikes. This made me nervous because about 6 months prior, I was on a date with a perfectly nice young lady. As we ate our dinner, I found myself completely bored and even more completely not attracted to her. While the waitress cleared the table and we waited for dessert menus, I went to the restroom. I decided to pay the bill and make my exit. While my date was still upstairs at the restaurant waiting for me to return. Before you decided I’m a monster, I did call her to let her know that I paid the bill, was not attracted to her and had left the restaurant. She was more than annoyed. OK, maybe I was a monster.
Luckily, Karma was not a bitch that night and Mrs. Koog returned to the table and I was relieved. We walked around DuPont Circle and stopped in bookshops and found a place for dessert and drinks before our show. I was walking at least 3 feet above the ground. This woman was complete magic.
After heading to the theater, we parked the car in a garage across from the theater. Our first kiss was in the elevator of the parking garage. She was perfect. We held hands as we crossed the street and found our seats inside the theater. As the lights went down and the first song started, the guy sitting next to me stood up and started performing as if we were watching Rocky Horror. We laughed. I put my arm around her. She put her head on my shoulder. Oh boy, I was falling hard and fast.
We had already made plans for me to stay at her house. Before you play the “bow-chika-bow-wow”, we had agreed nothing funky was happening on our first date. I think we knew this was turning into something special and we wanted to savor the feeling before moving into something physical. Not that I didn’t try, mind you. In my mind, agreements are meant to be modified! But not this one. We kept our agreement and held each other all night. That’s it and It was beautiful.
And we were inseparable. Still are. She is my lifeblood. She was like a giant meteor that crashed into a piece of space junk and by sheer force (and luck) settled into the same orbit.
It’s corny, but sometimes the butterflies still appear when we are getting ready for a date night or if we are seeing each other after being apart for a bit.
An old friend of mine asked me recently to describe why I love Mrs. Koog. I found it hard. She makes me a better person. I strive to match her kindness and capacity for love. I want to make her endlessly happy just so she can have a taste of how she makes me feel. She is everything. She is magic. She is mine and I love her.
We met online. It’s kind of funny, actually. A friend of mine saw the craziness of my orbit and took matters into her own hands. She signed me up for every online dating platform available in 2004. Match, Plenty of Fish, E-Harmony, even J-Date and I’m not Jewish! I was amused and mildly annoyed at my friend after telling her I met and liked Island Girl.
I thought I’d taken all the profiles down and on Valentine’s Day 2005 I got an email. Except, I wasn’t there to receive it, I was on my way to visit Island Girl. After my visit I returned home to an email from this new girl. There was no photo. Ick. I’m self aware enough to admit I’m shallow. If there was no picture, she must be heinous. Nope, pass.
Except, my work friend had a feeling this woman was special. I disagreed. Plus, responding to her on this obscure dating platform costs $20 and I didn’t need to pay for a date with a beast. My work friend paid the $20 and wrote the response herself. Why are all these women medaling in my dating life?! Turns out work friend and the one that put my profile across the internet were not fond of Island Girl. They didn’t dislike her, they just didn’t see it ever progressing. Alas, they were right.
Mrs. Koog and I emailed for about a week before we had our first phone call. To put this time in a “historical” context, our phone call was scheduled for 7:30 because I needed to be off by 8 to watch Donald Trump’s Apprentice. Don’t judge. I liked him as a host, not necessarily the leader of the free world.
Anyway, at the end of that conversation I was breathless. We made another phone date for the next night. I couldn’t wait to hear her voice again. Our conversations were so easy. We were so very different but had so much in common. She challenged me, not in an aggressive or competitive way, but in an absolute equal kind of way. Oy, I was smitten.
We continued our phone calls and emails. It was the best part of every day. I’d get a stomach tickle when I’d see her name pop up in my email or on my caller id. This woman had me in knots. I wasn’t sleeping. She was part of almost every thought and daydream. This is something. SHE is something.
She traveled to California and back with her sister for a sporting event. We still found time to chat daily. When they flew back from California, she flew into Philadelphia. She called as she got in her car to make the 3.5 hour ride home. We talked the whole way. We talked the whole night. Falling asleep on the open line, I could hear her breathing. This woman is magic.
Our first in person date was scheduled for March 15. I was taking her to dinner at a Firefly, a trendy restaurant in DC and to the midnight show of the musical RENT. Nervous is a complete understatement as I prepared for the evening. I was both a wreck and completely at ease. So strange. Oh, I was also sweating. I rode with the AC and the cooling seats on the entire way to her house! The car must have felt like a meat locker when she got in, I will have to ask her if she remembers.
Upon arriving in her neighborhood, I saw a lady walking around like she was waiting for someone. Dear God, please do not let this woman be her! She was at least 70. Luckily, I was still a block away. As I pulled into her driveway, I had butterflies. What the actual F was happening to me? I was usually really good at dating and nerves were never a part of the equation. I took a deep breath and rang the bell. She opened the door and I was done. Not kidding, it was like getting hit with a 2 by 4. Whap. Done.
She was stunning in her purple blouse and gray pants. I’m vertically challenged. She is not and she’s got a few inches on me. Didn’t matter. This was a perfect fit. Also, I noticed she was wearing flats. So thoughtful, I said to myself. This woman is magic. That’s the refrain that ran through my brain all night.
We arrived at dinner and I couldn’t stop looking at her, she was just perfect. Apparently, I did scare her with the speed of my salad eating. She was concerned if she got too close as I shoveled the lettuce into my face she’d get bit. I mean, she wasn’t wrong. Even during the meal, the conversation was easy AND she didn’t speak with a full mouth. I couldn’t say that for all my dates.
As the waitress cleared the table and we waited for dessert menus she went to the restroom. Yikes. This made me nervous because about 6 months prior, I was on a date with a perfectly nice young lady. As we ate our dinner, I found myself completely bored and even more completely not attracted to her. While the waitress cleared the table and we waited for dessert menus, I went to the restroom. I decided to pay the bill and make my exit. While my date was still upstairs at the restaurant waiting for me to return. Before you decided I’m a monster, I did call her to let her know that I paid the bill, was not attracted to her and had left the restaurant. She was more than annoyed. OK, maybe I was a monster.
Luckily, Karma was not a bitch that night and Mrs. Koog returned to the table and I was relieved. We walked around DuPont Circle and stopped in bookshops and found a place for dessert and drinks before our show. I was walking at least 3 feet above the ground. This woman was complete magic.
After heading to the theater, we parked the car in a garage across from the theater. Our first kiss was in the elevator of the parking garage. She was perfect. We held hands as we crossed the street and found our seats inside the theater. As the lights went down and the first song started, the guy sitting next to me stood up and started performing as if we were watching Rocky Horror. We laughed. I put my arm around her. She put her head on my shoulder. Oh boy, I was falling hard and fast.
We had already made plans for me to stay at her house. Before you play the “bow-chika-bow-wow”, we had agreed nothing funky was happening on our first date. I think we knew this was turning into something special and we wanted to savor the feeling before moving into something physical. Not that I didn’t try, mind you. In my mind, agreements are meant to be modified! But not this one. We kept our agreement and held each other all night. That’s it and It was beautiful.
And we were inseparable. Still are. She is my lifeblood. She was like a giant meteor that crashed into a piece of space junk and by sheer force (and luck) settled into the same orbit.
It’s corny, but sometimes the butterflies still appear when we are getting ready for a date night or if we are seeing each other after being apart for a bit.
An old friend of mine asked me recently to describe why I love Mrs. Koog. I found it hard. She makes me a better person. I strive to match her kindness and capacity for love. I want to make her endlessly happy just so she can have a taste of how she makes me feel. She is everything. She is magic. She is mine and I love her.
That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI also loved watching “The Apprentice” so I totally get it. Lovely story
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this love story 😌
ReplyDelete