The next day was our first date and he drove¹ across town to go home in midday² traffic to get cleaned up for our date, only to turn around and come back across town in rush hour traffic to pick me up. Well, by the time he arrived at my hotel room, I had already worked a long day and I just wanted to relax. I was too old for dating, especially someone who I wasn't going to see after a couple of weeks anyway.

He arrived just before I made the call to cancel. I tried to say let's just forget it and do it another time, but I could see that he wasn't going for that. So we compromised³ and walked a block to the mall for a light dinner while we waited for traffic to die down.

I would like to say that this first date was ideal⁴. However, we had an argument in the book store while we were reading our zodiac signs. Not a very good sign for a first date. I will have to admit that by the time we left the book store and made it to the end of the block we were both laughing and holding hands like we were best friends forever.

I guess that's why I agreed to go across town to see where he grew up. Little did I know he had plans for me to meet his mother. Thank God she was sleep. How many things can go crazy on this date? How about another argument?

Yes, we did. We had another argument over candy in the frozen⁵ yogurt. Of course we laughed through that "argument" as well. That's when I knew that this guy was special. He was strong, yet tender⁶.

I can't really say that it was a successful first date, as first dates go. I can say that it was a perfect first date for us. I guess if you take into account⁷ the fact that we got married seven days later, it had to be a pretty special date.

We have been married now for over a year and we are still laughing and arguing. Sometimes I think we have been together for over 50 years. But no matter how long we are together, I know that it is The Father in Him that keeps us together.