While driving to the fund-raiser to meet Gary and Bill, my stomach was full of butterflies. My palms were sweating and I was blushing from pure nervousness! It was ridiculous, but fabulous-all at the same time. This was the first time, since I'd quit drinking, that I really wanted to impress a guy. From what I knew about Gary, which was very little, he seemed to be a great man. I sincerely wanted to impress him, yet be myself at the same time. No small feat, might I add.
Upon arriving at the location, I'm so thankful there were others attending that I knew. That put me at ease, somewhat...It seemed awkward for Gary and me at first, but as we meandered through each studio room, talking casually, we ended up in the last room, which was a large recording studio. There were others milling around as well. A country song played over the loud speakers and I asked Gary, "so, do you country and western dance?" (referring to the song playing.) He answered, "Well of course, I'm from Dumas!" Great, I thought...that's one item marked off the list. That question seemed to get us talking about ourselves a little more...in the course of about fifteen minutes, we found out some remarkable similarities! We both liked flying in small airplanes....both my parents were pilots and we owned a Mooney when I was a child. I took flying lessons in recent years past. Gary was a pilot in his past! He had allowed his license to lapse and hadn't flown in several years...but just that similarity was quite interesting to both of us. We both like to give "correct change" when paying for something. I know, this is quite odd for two people to have this same quirk about them, but we did!
Now, the one thing on my list that Gary didn't possess was that he enjoyed NASCAR. Gary didn't follow NASCAR and never had. I used to be a huge NASCAR and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. fan, until he passed away. After that, the passion for NASCAR subsided substantially, but I still enjoyed it occasionally and knew I'd want to attend another race at some point.
But here's the clincher. . .a friend of mine came up to me while Gary and I were visiting and asked how Shorty did after her back surgery. (She had emergency back surgery in 2001, after herniating a disk and paralyzing her back legs. She and I flew a chartered plane to Stillwater, OK so that the Vet at OSU's veterinary school could perform surgery on her. We were there about 5 days and then flew back. She had 27 staples in her back, but healed remarkably well and is very spry for her 12 years of age.)
Okay, so back to my friend checking on Shorty...I told her she was doing well and had recovered nicely and uses her ramps now to get on and off the furniture. Gary heard us talking and asked what kind of dog I had? My face lit up with a huge smile, (as it always did) as I told Gary about Shorty, my precious, miniature dachshund. Gary said, "Really? I have a miniature dachshund, too." I could not believe my ears. I exclaimed and pushed him back with my two hands on his chest like Elaine on Seinfeld..."GET OUT! You do not have a dachshund!" He said, "Yes, I do." The look on his face was that of confusion. (Later he told me that he didn't understand my strong reaction to his answer.) I asked him what was his dachshund's name? He said, "Schnitzel." I thought, Hmm? that does sound like a dachshund name. I then asked, "What color is he?" Gary replied, "Dapple." Although, I'd never seen a dapple dachshund, I knew that color did exist, but I just could not believe my ears! I don't remember much of the conversation after that...
Later, we all three walked out together and Gary and I stood in the parking lot...I, completely amazed and dazed, and he, probably wondering what the big deal was about the "dog." :) Gary said he'd like to call me sometime and I told him my number was in the book...(looking back on that last statement, it seems kind of silly-I should have just given him my number, but there was something so gentle and unassuming about Gary that I didn't want to be pushy with him at all...remember, I was really trying to make a good impression.)
I got into my car and drove away before he did. The minute I was in the clear, tears welled up in my eyes. I was overwhelmed with awe. All because he had a dachshund...and I am not kidding. The fact that he OWNED a dachshund was the most beautiful, hand-wrapped gift, God could have given me-ever. God knew exactly what would steal my heart and He knew the perfect gift for me, just me. With tears rolling down my cheeks and running into the corners of a huge smile, I thought, I was just talking to my husband.
Upon arriving at the location, I'm so thankful there were others attending that I knew. That put me at ease, somewhat...It seemed awkward for Gary and me at first, but as we meandered through each studio room, talking casually, we ended up in the last room, which was a large recording studio. There were others milling around as well. A country song played over the loud speakers and I asked Gary, "so, do you country and western dance?" (referring to the song playing.) He answered, "Well of course, I'm from Dumas!" Great, I thought...that's one item marked off the list. That question seemed to get us talking about ourselves a little more...in the course of about fifteen minutes, we found out some remarkable similarities! We both liked flying in small airplanes....both my parents were pilots and we owned a Mooney when I was a child. I took flying lessons in recent years past. Gary was a pilot in his past! He had allowed his license to lapse and hadn't flown in several years...but just that similarity was quite interesting to both of us. We both like to give "correct change" when paying for something. I know, this is quite odd for two people to have this same quirk about them, but we did!
Now, the one thing on my list that Gary didn't possess was that he enjoyed NASCAR. Gary didn't follow NASCAR and never had. I used to be a huge NASCAR and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. fan, until he passed away. After that, the passion for NASCAR subsided substantially, but I still enjoyed it occasionally and knew I'd want to attend another race at some point.
But here's the clincher. . .a friend of mine came up to me while Gary and I were visiting and asked how Shorty did after her back surgery. (She had emergency back surgery in 2001, after herniating a disk and paralyzing her back legs. She and I flew a chartered plane to Stillwater, OK so that the Vet at OSU's veterinary school could perform surgery on her. We were there about 5 days and then flew back. She had 27 staples in her back, but healed remarkably well and is very spry for her 12 years of age.)
Okay, so back to my friend checking on Shorty...I told her she was doing well and had recovered nicely and uses her ramps now to get on and off the furniture. Gary heard us talking and asked what kind of dog I had? My face lit up with a huge smile, (as it always did) as I told Gary about Shorty, my precious, miniature dachshund. Gary said, "Really? I have a miniature dachshund, too." I could not believe my ears. I exclaimed and pushed him back with my two hands on his chest like Elaine on Seinfeld..."GET OUT! You do not have a dachshund!" He said, "Yes, I do." The look on his face was that of confusion. (Later he told me that he didn't understand my strong reaction to his answer.) I asked him what was his dachshund's name? He said, "Schnitzel." I thought, Hmm? that does sound like a dachshund name. I then asked, "What color is he?" Gary replied, "Dapple." Although, I'd never seen a dapple dachshund, I knew that color did exist, but I just could not believe my ears! I don't remember much of the conversation after that...
Later, we all three walked out together and Gary and I stood in the parking lot...I, completely amazed and dazed, and he, probably wondering what the big deal was about the "dog." :) Gary said he'd like to call me sometime and I told him my number was in the book...(looking back on that last statement, it seems kind of silly-I should have just given him my number, but there was something so gentle and unassuming about Gary that I didn't want to be pushy with him at all...remember, I was really trying to make a good impression.)
I got into my car and drove away before he did. The minute I was in the clear, tears welled up in my eyes. I was overwhelmed with awe. All because he had a dachshund...and I am not kidding. The fact that he OWNED a dachshund was the most beautiful, hand-wrapped gift, God could have given me-ever. God knew exactly what would steal my heart and He knew the perfect gift for me, just me. With tears rolling down my cheeks and running into the corners of a huge smile, I thought, I was just talking to my husband.
No comments:
Post a Comment