So it's only 4 months later..

When Mike met Sam, Part I

I think it unnecessary to admit there may not be regular posts, it's apparent.
Anyway,

Following the car/truck show/swap meet, I continued to be a sucky recruiter and Mike continued to do whatever he was doing at the time. We met up again in April I think. He was playing hockey one night during the week in Toms River of all places, which is at least 100 miles from here, but only about 20 minutes from where I lived in Jersey, so I stopped by after work and hung around for a little while. Again, no sparks. He did buy me a chicken sandwich combo from Wendy's. What a chivalrous man, I know.

So we trudge on to May 2004, and the infamous (kidding) Memorial Day weekend. I was presented with a rare holiday without work and he was planning to go to Atlantic City later that day to give them some of his money, so after a casual invitation I figured it would be a change of pace. He followed me back to my apartment to bring the dog home and change clothes and we headed down the Garden State Parkway. Twenty minutes later we turned back and I retrieved my wallet.

After a false start we made it to A.C. and spent the next 6 or 7 hours wandering around, pretending not to be attracted to each other. After nearly four years, he's still one of the most polite considerate people I know. He has his moments, but who doesn't. As we walked through the casinos we chatted about various, inconsequential things. What I remember vividly is getting into an elevator at one point. I decided to kiss him and thankfully he kissed me back. It could have been the other way around, but the point is a few minutes later I tried to be clever and said it was too fast. He thought I was referring to the kiss being to forward of him, I was referring to the elevator ride.

We ended up spending about 36 hours together that weekend. And yes, by the way, if you're wondering. We got to know each other pretty well in a day and a half. I'm no preacher and I challenge anyone who thinks they are. Almost a year later we were trying to determine an anniversary date and decided that we couldn't use May 31st because it wasn't really the day we declared ourselves a couple, it was just the day we spent a day and a half together and he discovered I put out. So our anniversary is June 20th, Father's Day 2004. Not an arbitrary date, but not a fascinating story either and it works for us.

Maybe that's why we've never had a day pass without seeing each other, making a phone call or sending an instant message since May 30th 2004. We made it work for us.

When Mike Met Sam

I'm loath to admit this, but we met online. There's a stigma attached to relationships that "began" over the internet, and honestly, I tend to agree. There are exceptions however, and I'd like to think we're one of the many.

I probably wouldn't have met Mike if I had decided to buy a compact car. In mid-2002, I traded my five year-old Chevy Cavalier for a 2003 F-150. It was a 5.4 liter, V-8, 4x4, and brand new. I was tired of my Cavalier, as well as the Dodge Neon before it, may she rest in piece. So there I was with this big ass truck and no one to drive through puddles with. As a side note, I had just moved to New Jersey from my last assignment in Georgia after being stationed there for almost 7 years. My only local friends were my fellow Army recruiters and the bartenders and old guys at the nearby pub. A very nice maintenance man in my apartment complex suggested an online truck club that had local chapters. He had been a member for some time and enjoyed the people who participated, so why not give it a shot? I believed I logged on for the first time in January 2003 with very low expectations. I was looking for inspiration for modifications to the truck and perhaps a local car show.

Within a month or two I found myself checking in every day to say hi, tell jokes, etc. Being a new truck owner, I was pretty shy in the "real" forums. I didn't realize it then, but one of the moderators had greeted me the first week I was a member and would eventually play a much larger part in my life. Skip ahead to April, where I had my first opportunity to "meet" my new friends. A popular Spring car show/swap meet was coming up and our chapter was planning a big get together to hang out, drink beers, buy some crap, and stare at other people's trucks and cars. In the spirit of expanding my social circle I decided to go for the afternoon. I met Mike for the first time that day, and I'd be lying if I said it was remarkable moment of stars and butterflies. He was a nice guy from Long Island, pretty cute and had a very nice truck, but I had just gotten out of a debacle of a relationship and wanted no part in anything resembling male/female relations. Not that he hit on me. At all. I met a few dozen people that day and went on my way. At this point, I had a new friend named Mike. No phone number, no last name, no flirting, no problem. I could have cared less. I wouldn't have known the difference until a few weeks later when we happened to hang out again.

to be continued...