The Way We Were

Caryn of Hollow Thoughts asked how Art and I met. Art has totally forgotten many of the details. I, on the other hand, wrote it down in my journal.

I was finishing up my degree in education at the University of Hawaii and had two summer roommates from Wisconsin staying with my buddy, Gail and me in our apartment. Suzie was a stunning young woman shorter than all of us but with bosoms that were probably larger than all of ours combined. Suzie got a part time job at a Waikiki bar and was constantly bringing home guys she'd met. Oh yes, on top of being rather "stacked" she was pretty and very nice. She used to complain that having a large chest was really a curse. We smiled and tried to sympathize.

Some time in late July, Suzie was at Waikiki beach swimming when her bikini top got loose. Well, there was a lot to hold up so I imagine her bikini top was not quite up to the job. Art happened to be at the beach with two of his buddies just taking in the rays. He says he NEVER saw a thing, but suddenly, his ever gallant friend, Jeff was sprinting toward the water to give Suzie a helping hand. I mean... locate that missing garment piece.

Jeff fell in love with Suzie but she eventually wanted to break it off because she fully intended to return to Madison where she happened to have a boyfriend. Of course...

I'm thinking Jeff was quite clever in bringing Art to our apartment to meet me hoping that Art would possibly like to go out with me so that he could tag along and perhaps see Suzie also. Suzie eventually returned to Wisconsin at summer's end anyway.

Meanwhile Art and I went out a few times. He was a captain in the Air Force working on a Top Secret spy satellite thing that he couldn't tell me about. And he never did until a book came out revealing the entire thing. Anyway, this was the Vietnam era when my dating an officer with a SHORT haircut wasn't exactly the most fashionable thing to do.

Jeff told me that Art had said he wasn't really interested in any sort of commitment at the time. Jeff reassured him that he had nothing to worry about since I was seeing somebody else also. Which I was. Later, a worried Jeff warned me that Art was seeing a couple of other women so I shouldn't get too serious about him either. Poor guy... I think he felt responsible.

It was too late. In January, Art and I were already engaged and married the following year. Jeff was his best man.

What did I see in Art? For one thing he had a car. Just kidding. I really admired the fact that he was so smart. I hated math and he loved it, being an engineer. The most important thing for me was that he was truly kind, loving, fearless and responsible. OK... so he was cute, too.

What did he see in me? He says he found somebody who would do his letter writing for him.

I don't know what it was. I don't think there were fireworks or a grand passion. It just felt right. The fire in our relationship was something that would build up from solid embers in the experiences of our shared adventures together.

Whatever it was... it worked and has worked for 36 years.