Love at the Library

Paul and I met at the University of Calgary library. We were studying. Really.

O.k., not really. That's just the story we told his mom and dad. In actuality we met at a bar. A bar called Coconut Joe's. On Electric Avenue. In Calgary. I still have the dress I wore. A little black velvet Esprit dress. My Grandma thought I should wear it with a sweater. I didn't. It's actually in the kid's dress-up box. I probably could fit into it again - if I removed a few ribs.

At the time Coconut Joe's was one of "the" places to party. Now it's a daycare. Kind of makes you feel old!

The whole meeting wasn't as sordid as it sounds. I'll admit to writing my phone number in lip gloss on a piece of paper tablecloth. But I didn't have a pen. And, it was New Year's Eve. Isn't it kind of romantic to met your true love on New Years Eve? We were dancing when they started the count-down. Paul gave me my first kiss of 1989. Then later, he asked me to dance again. I wish I could say that we danced to something romantic and sweet. I just don't think you can classify "Boom Boom (Let's Go Back to My Room)" that way. Needless to say our friends took great delight in requesting that song at our wedding.

In a way we did kind of meet at the U of C. Paul called me for our first date after running into me at school. If meeting at a bar wasn't something he wanted to tell his parents, our first date was even more awkward. He picked me up for our date from a hotel where I was dancing. But to clarify, I was Highland dancing at a Scottish Ceilidh at the hotel! I'm not sure his friends heard those important details!

Well, yesterday Paul and I celebrated our 18th anniversary. So, I guess you can find love at a bar. Or at a library. Yes Caitlyn, there are lots of nice boys at the library!