Surrounded by Stories Surreal and Sublime

“Surrounded by stories surreal and sublime I fell in love in a library once upon a time.” – Jimmy Buffett

Once upon a time a boy met a girl in a bookstore. She worked there and the boy bought a lot of books from her. Sometimes he read the books sometimes he did not; this does not lessen the fact that he bought a lot of books from her. One day the boy mustered up the courage to ask the girl out and, to the boy’s amazement, the girl said, “Yes.”

They went out together on a handful of dates but their appointed time had not yet come. They went their separate ways both knowing that there was something there… something special. Time passed and, as luck would have it, the two ran into each other in night school at college. He was taking a literature course and she… well; she was there. His heart jumped into his throat when he saw her. His friend who was on the payphone to her boyfriend knew the situation between the two and advised the boy. “Don’t say anything.” She said, as the girl was getting closer to where the boy and his friend stood. “Say nothing!” she said. He could swear that the girl had seen him. She was getting closer now. “Don’t talk to her.” The boy’s friend said just out of earshot of the girl.

“Linda?” the boy asked knowing it was she all along. The boy’s friend rolled her eyes.

“George?” the girl replied.

And it came to pass that a conversation was struck. Subsequent nights found the two talking in the parking lot for hours at a time. There were nights that security had to shut off the lights just to get the pair off of the property. The two had found each other once again and their appointed time was approaching. Late night coffees turned into dating; dating turned into a deeper relationship. Soon the girl met the boy’s mother and the boy met the girl’s parents. One day the boy mustered up the courage to ask the girl to marry him and, to the boy’s amazement, the girl said, “Yes.”

Twenty years ago their appointed time had come. The girl and the boy got married at the First Baptist Church in Wildwood New Jersey. She was beautiful. He was nervous – so much so that after the ceremony he ran least three red lights on the way to dinner.

The two then got down to the business of life and, if you are paying any attention at all, is a commodity that moves quickly. There were adventures and misadventures, there was laughter and tears but the two knew that they were stronger together than either had ever been apart. The two had a daughter; and then there were three. Then another; and then there were four. Then another; and then there were five and oh the adventures they had! Over the span of those twenty years, the girl and the boy became a woman and a man; growing up and growing together with deep roots, always stronger together than apart. As for the FIVE? Well, they are still having adventures and their tales are still being written and told. It was stories that brought the two together and the wonder of the legends yet to unfold that has the two excited for what future chapters may bring.

We truly have lived our lives surrounded by stories surreal and sublime. Happy anniversary Lady; I can’t wait to see what’s next.