Friday, December 12, 2008

How I Became Happy Wife (ie: How I Met Hubster)

Harken back with me to..... 1985.
Duran Duran was on the radio. Ronald Reagan was still in White House.
Germany was still separated into East, and West.
BIG HAIR was still in fashion. :-)

I was a 17 year old lass, still in high school. I drove a blue 1967 VW Beetle (LOVED that car!)
My BFF Sarah was hostessing, part time, at a restaurant called Bobby Rubino's (a rib joint).
I decided to get a job there too.

On the VERY first day I worked there, I noticed this FABULOUS looking young man. He was tall, slender and extremely good-looking. He was also incredibly shy and paid me NO attention. (A-ha! A challenge!)

Except, 17 year old me was also somewhat shy. Luckily, however, my friend Sarah was NOT shy.... at ALL.

Long story short, she cornered the recalcitrant Romeo back behind the bar and said "My friend... the brunette hostess.... she likes you. You need to ask her out."

Shy Romeo called me and.... we went out. He was funny, smart, charming and we had a great time! Was it a "Summer of Love"? Why yes, it was.

That Fall, however, this particular Juliet moved to New York to pursue her dream of acting... I studied for a year at NYU (and yes - for those of you who don't know - Phil Hoffman was one of my classmates).

Anyway, fast forward a bit.... I returned to Atlanta. (NYC is a great place - still love it - just knew I didn't want to live there long-term, nor did I want the 'ups and downs' of the "acting life"...)

So, Hubster and I resumed dating. We dated for a LONG time. (Keep in mind I was only 17 when I met him....) And then, when the time was right (when I was 24), we eventually got married. :-)

And THAT, my friends, is how I became Happy Wife.

So, how did YOU meet your spouse/partner/significant other?

PS: The photo was taken at a New Year's party back in.... (thinking).... 1987 or 1988... notice my huge hair. Small animals could have been nesting in there and I would have had no idea.

:-)

20 comments:

Cliff said...

Mrs74 and I first met the Monday before Thanksgiving, 1977. We were working at a home for the developmentally disabled, and she was sent to clean up one of the residents of this home. I was on my way to voice a complaint to a supervisor. The then future Mrs74 was scared by the person she had to bathe and ran out to get help. The first person she ran into(literally) was me. I helped her out, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Gberger said...

Thanks for sharing your story. I loved reading it and seeing the photos. What a time-machine moment that is! The hairstyles, the clothes, our younger selves...what fun. I can see why you two fell for each other...he's very handsome indeed, and you are lovely, my dear. God bless you and your happy marriage!
Some day, you should write some of your NYC adventures for us: "HW in the City."

Busy Bee Suz said...

This is very sweet. I did not know you worked at Bobby Rubinos w/ the shy one. very cute couple you are and were. Even with the big hair.

Coach and I met on a blind date....went to see Robert Plant. 8/1/85. eons ago.
My hair was a bit smaller, but got bigger before it got smaller again. makes sense? yeah.

HWHL said...

Cliff,
That is a wonderful story! You should write a post about that!

Karen,
Yes, maybe one day I will write about "HW in the City". There are some funny (and scandalous) photos I could post... including some grainy old photos of Philip Seymour Hoffman! :-)

Suz,
Ron and I also went to see Robert Plant in the summer of 1985! That was a GREAT show! :-)

Najia said...

Awww, I think you look adorable! I love, love, love the curly hair...on both of you! *sigh* I've always wanted curls. :-(

Karen's right...our younger selves, what fun! So cool to read about how it all began. I also love the red dress...I love that color!

I don't think your acting days are over yet...who'll star in "HW in the City"??????

HWHL said...

KBL - I loved that red dress too! It was vintage, velvet and I bought it at a store in the Village, on Broadway called "Antique Boutique".... I'm sure the store is long gone by now. But I wore that dress all the time to Winter parties, etc. It was a size 5 (and so was I, way back then!) :-)

Jason, as himself said...

Yes! That hair! I was never cool enough to have hair like that.

It all sounds too good to be true!

HWHL said...

Jason, you goofball! :-)

Boquinha said...

How great is this post!! You guys are SO CUTE!! Ah, the 80s. :) What a great story--did you keep in touch while you were in NY?

HWHL said...

Boquinha - we tried the long distance thing - it didn't work out (rarely does it), so we broke up. I dated others (they all PALED IN COMPARISON)... then, ultimately, when I moved back to Atlanta, we got back together and the rest, as they say, is history.

HWHL said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michele said...

Aww... what a neat story. It's always cool to read about the moments of how people met each other. What a beautiful photo of the two of you and I believe I had the "big" hair happenin' as well. I could probably still get that effect if I do it just right... hehe...
(Hugs)
~Michele~

HWHL said...

One more tidbit: My friend Mark saw this photo and said the thing that he found EVEN FUNNIER than my enormous hair was the amount of eye shadow I used to wear.
:-)

Pumpkin Delight (Kimberly) said...

The 80's hair is great...on both of you. I so wanted that hair but luckily (now anyways) mine wouldn't cooperate so I don't have any big, tall hair photos. Good story.

Laurie Brandriet Keller said...

Blind date here too ... love the hair!
xoxo.

kingdom writer said...

What a gorgeous photo! Thanks for sharing your story. What a precious time the 80s were... Me and hubby met at a bar called the Muddy Farmer. I was on an outing for people who had met on the site NZ Dating, and he gate crashed it, stripped for a hens party (who thought he was their stripper),and dragged me away by the hair into his cave. No, not quite, but it makes a better story. All the other stuff is true, and I will never let him forget about stripping down to his undies for that party, haha.

HWHL said...

Suzy,
Now THAT is a great story! You need to WRITE A POST about that my dear!!! :-)

Laurie,
I want to hear ALL THE LURID DETAILS about the blind date.
Come on now.... I hear those South Dakota girls are WILD.... something about being cooped up all Winter long.... ;-)
(speaking of which, are y'all getting that blizzard they keep yammering about on the news??)

ChiTown Girl said...

Wow, apparently 1985 was a very romantic year. That's also the year I met CSJ, but unlike you and Suz, we all know I didn't find my happily-ever-after. Oh, well! I'm glad you two did! Thanks for sharing!

Me said...

Such a cute story. At first glance Hubster looked like Eddie Van Halen in the 1985 pic. Here's to many many many many more happy years together (and no critters nesting in your hair!)

HWHL said...

Smiley,
Yeah, I can kinda-sorta see the Eddie Van Halen comparison....
:-) (He'll like that...)

Wish we had EVH's bank account!