In the fall of 1982, I was the District Sales Manager for NorthStar, a small mini-computer company from northern California (anyone within the sound of my voice remember them?) I had a office in an executive suite in Irvine, where I befriended many of my office mates. These were casual friendships that developed around the water cooler and the telex machine (yup, no fax machine back then!) The introduction to Howard came from one of these neighbor/friends. I’ll call him Sheldon (because that’s his name.)
If you ask hubby how we met, he’ll say it is all because of the Irvine rapist. Google reminds me that Irvine reported eighteen rapes that year. Because of the fear gripping the community, the Irvine Police Department was fielding dozens of calls from anxious homeowners wanting to know what they could do. Sheldon was one of those callers. And the PD referred him to Howard, who owned a burglar alarm company. When twenty-something, single, Jewish Howard came to Sheldon’s home to sell him a burglar alarm, Sheldon’s thoughts turned to me: his twenty-something, single, Jewish friend from the executive suite.
Look at my eighties hair! P.S. This photo has not been filtered by Instagram. It is a genuine Polaroid shot from 1980-someting.
In making the introduction, Sheldon explained that Howard had his own business, and lived oceanfront in Laguna Beach. Being a homeowner, I assumed this meant Howard was also a homeowner. Alas, he did not come with oceanfront property. I grudgingly accepted this fact, and three years later we wed. Fast forward, our two kids have left the nest, and we just celebrated our twenty-seventh wedding anniversary with a month-long trip/cruise to Asia. Isn’t it odd that such a casual acquaintance was responsible for setting us up?
How did you meet your spouse? Let me know in the comments section below. This post is part of a GenFab blog hop. My first blog hop EVER!
Great story! It was my first blog hop too! Great fun!
Yes, I loved the Blog Hop. Looking forward to doing more. I’m already pondering next month’s topic .. but it’s a harder one
I was an officer in the Israel Air Force’s software development unit, and Abby had just ended her service as an officer in the IDF’s central computer training center. Two of Abby’s friends in her ‘executive suite’ wed, and the better half was given the opportunity to serve in a different unit from her husband. Anat shopped around and settled on my unit (under my command). It didn’t take her long to suggest that two Orthodox-Jewish, American-born, software engineers might click … and we married five months to the day after our first date – a year and a bit after you, Barbara – in December 1986.
Love it! And Happy Anniversary!
What a great story and terrific match-making! Congrats on the anniversary. A month-long trip to Asia is a wonderful way to celebrate.
Loved reading your story, Barbara, and learning more about you—and Howard, too. Congrats on your anniversary—how great to celebrate with that fabulous trip to Asia–jealous!!
Thank goodness for matchmakers like Sheldon! I enjoyed your story, Barbara.
Sometimes we just sorta fall into these things don’t you think? And when they work…all the better! How funny that it was just a casual friend who thought of you. Amazing! thanks for sharing!
So many marriages, relationships, it seems, begin with simple, organic meeting up. Mine was on the freeway, so not so normal. I love that your photo is not “instagram” but an actual genuine Polaroid shot – funny! Now we filter pics to get that look. Also love that you loved embraced your Howard even though he didn’t come with oceanfront property. True love doesn’t need it. Glad you had such a memorable celebration of 25 years together.