I am especially grateful for the daily demonstrations of my husband’s love. Ours was a second marriage 28 years ago when I was 49 and he was 50. We each had been divorced for 15 and 18 years and met as a result of a personal ad I placed in a local newspaper. In the days before online dating, I described myself as optimistic, someone who loved hiking and reading. Les had been hiking with the Sierra Club for some years looking for someone like me.
We met up at a MacDonald’s, a neutral place halfway between our homes, where I could determine if he was a serial killer, specifically an axe murderer. He turned out not to be. He was quiet, as I learned later, a high-functioning Asperger person. He and I had worked at the same university for a brief period and never met. We had a lot in common, although his interest in hiking faded, as time went on.
I often tell the story of a long hike we went on in Ojai on a very hot day. This was only ten days after we had met. Although we had plenty of water and some plums, he felt faint and almost passed out. I raced down a steep hill and called 911 from a vegetable stand nearby. A helicopter rescued him and I drove to the hospital in a police car. I arrived before his rescuers and was grilled on details of his address and insurance about which I knew nothing. Another police car arrived with him, somewhat recovered and not needing hospitalization. The policeman drove us back to his car. I recall that we were beaming at each other. First I put him in peril and then arranged his rescue. We arrived back and my house and promptly fell asleep in each others’ arms.
A year and a half later we got married and have weathered many things together. I have no doubt that we will be together until one of us dies. I’ve learned a lot from living with Les. We bring out the best in each other.
— Oxnard15
We met up at a MacDonald’s, a neutral place halfway between our homes, where I could determine if he was a serial killer, specifically an axe murderer. He turned out not to be. He was quiet, as I learned later, a high-functioning Asperger person. He and I had worked at the same university for a brief period and never met. We had a lot in common, although his interest in hiking faded, as time went on.
I often tell the story of a long hike we went on in Ojai on a very hot day. This was only ten days after we had met. Although we had plenty of water and some plums, he felt faint and almost passed out. I raced down a steep hill and called 911 from a vegetable stand nearby. A helicopter rescued him and I drove to the hospital in a police car. I arrived before his rescuers and was grilled on details of his address and insurance about which I knew nothing. Another police car arrived with him, somewhat recovered and not needing hospitalization. The policeman drove us back to his car. I recall that we were beaming at each other. First I put him in peril and then arranged his rescue. We arrived back and my house and promptly fell asleep in each others’ arms.
A year and a half later we got married and have weathered many things together. I have no doubt that we will be together until one of us dies. I’ve learned a lot from living with Les. We bring out the best in each other.
— Oxnard15
Moving. Beautifully written!
ReplyDeleteOMG. Is it a problem that at first all I could think of was the cost of the helicopter ride and the assessment by the hospital? And then you were "beaming"? If I put that out of my mind, it's a great romantic story and I am happy for you!
ReplyDelete