The End Is Near - But Oh What A Beginning!

Once upon a time there was this lonely guy just going through life without any real purpose.  His meaning, his reason for waking up everyday was to simply exist.  Sure he had friends, he had a good job, and he had a nice roof over his head.  Hell, he even had a great dog, who answered to Dante.  What he wanted and needed at that time, had eluded him for the last half decade.  What he wanted and needed so desperately, was to be loved by someone.  What he.....I....wanted, was a companion.

I had almost given up hope of finding someone special to share my life.  I had been in a good relationship turned bad that ended 6 years before, and I just figured that was my chance, and I blew it.  Then, one day, while I was desperately seeking a pet sitter for Dante, I got a call from a friendly voice.  "Do you need someone to check on your dog while you're gone" were the words that were spoken, but what I heard was "I am an angel sent from heaven to lead you from the darkness and inspire your life"

When I answered the door that afternoon, I was hardly prepared for what I saw.   I'm sure you've seen all of these cheesy movies and read these silly books talking about love at first sight, but nobody ever believes them.  This is especially true with a person like me. I can however, tell you unequivocally, my heart skipped a beat, and I knew right then and there I had met the girl of my dreams.

As we introduced ourselves to each other, and got the initial formalities out of the way, I was as nervous as one could be.  How do I convince this angel that I'm the one?   Sure, it's way too early to be thinking like that, but I just couldn't help myself.  I just knew.

Listen, I'll be the first to tell you, I'm not some Casanova.  I'm a nice guy, well spoken, with a heart as big as they come.  I figured I would never have a chance at a young lady as pretty and nice as Lori, but I knew that this might be my only chance, and no matter what I was going ask her out.  So, that's what I did.....right then and there.  I was floored when she said......yes.

We spent that day together, had dinner, and went to a fireworks display that evening.  It was so perfect I had to pinch myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming.  I took her back to her apartment that night, gave her a big hug and a peck on the cheek at the front door, and as I was walking away, I swear my feet weren't even touching the ground.  

I called everyone I knew, and told them about the angel that I found.  I wasted no time calling her back the next day, and then spent the next couple of months, trying to convince her to get out of the long distant relationship that she was currently in with someone else, and move in with me.  Again, I knew instantly that she was the girl that I was going to marry, and if I would have had enough money to buy a ring at that time, I would have asked her to marry me then.  I'm not sure at that time she would have said yes, but that would not have stopped me from trying.

As it turned out, I was able to convince Lori that I was indeed special, and she moved into my house a few months later.  We were a match made in heaven, and I was so proud the first time I took her to meet my mother and father.  I had one of those "yeah, that's right, look what I was able to do" grins on my face the entire time.  Lori of course hit it off right away with my family, and they treated her like a daughter from day one.

We spent the next 12 months together almost inseparable.  Exactly one year to the day of our initial meeting, I received the horrible news that my father had passed away.  I was devastated, and I thank the Lord every day that Lori was there by my side when I received the terrible phone call.  She was my crutch, and strength, and only with her unending compassion was I able to pick myself up and function.  

To this day, I am thankful that dad went to his maker knowing that I had truly found happiness, and Lori was one day going to be my bride.  It is only with his help, in the form of some inheritance, that I was finally able to have enough money to be able to afford a ring.  I guess you could say that I owe my dog Dante, and my dad, a debt that can never be repaid.  They allowed me to meet, and ultimately ask my angel for her hand in marriage.

I now had the money I needed for a ring, so the next order of business was to ask her dad Steve, for her hand.  I know, that's an old and mostly ignored ritual now days, but I am old school, and felt like it was the right thing to do.  We had a trip planned to see her parents at their farm in Tennessee, so I figured that was as good a time as any.  Although I got along outstandingly with both Lori's parents, I was so nervous before I spoke with Steve I though I was going to faint.  I didn't, and when he said yes, I was soaring through the clouds.  "This might actually happen" is all I could think about.  God I hoped she would say yes.

One night, after spending an evening watching Cinderella with Lori, I dropped down to one knee, swallowed the enormous lump in my throat, grabbed her hand and looked into those beautiful brown eyes, and asked her to spend the rest of her life with me.  I found myself wiping away a river of joyful tears from my face as soon as the word "yes" came from her lips.  Somehow, I had convinced this angel sent straight from heaven, to marry me.

To be continued........

William