We were born at the same hospital, raised in the same town, and attended the same community college, but it took the power of computers for our paths to finally cross.
Thanks to having a mutual friend Justin decided it wouldn’t hurt to ask Lindsey to dinner. After 46 days of texting each other daily, we arranged to meet for sushi on Groundhog Day.
When Justin gave Lindsey a side-hug goodbye, she didn’t want to let go. She wondered why she was hugging this stranger awkwardly too long. He wondered if life would ever be the same.
Turns out, we had both found a person to call home.
"I think you're the kindest, sweetest, prettiest person I've ever met in my life. I've never seen anyone that's nicer to people than you are. The first time I saw you, something happened to me. I never told you but I knew that I wanted to hold you as hard as I could. I don't deserve someone like you. But if I ever could, I swear I would love you for the rest of my life."
- Bill Murray (in Groundhog Day)
Our favorite date will probably always be when we attended the U2 laser light show at the Cocoa planetarium.
At some point during “Where the Streets Have No Name” Justin looked over to see his nerdy date singing along with too much gusto and decided not only that this was the woman for him but also that he was pretty certain he loved her.
After the show, we went to the beach to stargaze. As Lindsey watched her tall date struggle to find the moon with a very tiny telescope precariously balanced on a picnic table she realized this was a man whose character was worth admiring.
Maybe this is why the stars, planetarium shows, Irish bands, and lasers all have an uncanny ability to make us both cry.
We were both helping to clean up after dinner one night. As we were washing dishes, a cover of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" started playing on the show Justin's grandmother was watching in the other room.
Without a word, Justin took Lindsey in his arms and started to dance with her in the kitchen. In that moment, before the song was over, she knew without a doubt that he was the one she was going to be dancing with forever.
It’s been our song ever since.
When the rain is blowing in your face And the whole world is on your case I could offer a warm embrace To make you feel my love
When evening shadows and the stars appear And there is no one there to dry your tears I could hold you for a million years To make you feel my love
I know you haven't made your mind up yet But I would never do you wrong I've known it from the moment that we met No doubt in my mind where you belong
I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue I'd go crawling down the avenue And oh, there's nothing that I wouldn't do To make you feel my love
The storms are raging on the rolling sea And on the highway of regret The winds of change are blowing wild and free You ain't seen nothing like me yet
I could make you happy, make your dreams come true Nothing that I wouldn't do Go to the ends of the earth for you To make you feel my love
- Bob Dylan
Justin had the ring and had been patiently waiting for the right moment. There were even a few near misses, but he knew he would know when the time was right.
On August 24, 2018 all the stars aligned. We had just enjoyed a perfect date in downtown Melbourne (getting a slice of pizza, walking hand-in-hand to the ice cream parlor, seeing a show at the community theater) and Justin was waiting to suggest a drive to the beach to look at the stars.
Walking back to the car, Lindsey happened to say that if she had one regret it was that they hadn't met all those years ago when they were both students at BCC so that they could have spent more of their lives together. Justin decided he couldn’t let another second pass before saying what was on his mind.
He poured out his heart on the second floor of the Melbourne City Hall municipal parking garage. After keeping him in suspense for way too long, Lindsey finally managed to stop sobbing long enough to say yes.
Now we never mind if the streets are too crowded and we can't find parking for Sunday brunch, because it’s an excuse to go visit "our" parking space (we know the exact one) and re-live one of the happiest moments of our lives.