Happy Anniversary, Sargie!

June 17, 2019 - Monday morning

45 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

They say God gives us exactly what we need when we need it. He sure does.

It was eight years ago that I lost my glasses while riding the four wheeler back home from Yooper Brother Mark's. It was the end of the summer and almost time to fly back to Alaska. In a blind panic, (pun intended) I drove to the Vision Center in Iron Mountain hoping to purchase an inexpensive pair of glasses. 

I walked in and there she was. The last thing I wanted or needed in the world was to become involved in another relationship. My track record, for one reason or the other, hadn't been exactly stellar to that point. 

That beautiful woman wearing the white lab coat would hardly make eye contact. Later, I asked her to email me and maybe, we could have lunch or supper sometime. She looked down, smiled, and gave no reply. Though disappointed, I shrugged my shoulders and resumed looking forward to a solitary senior life of travel and adventures.

It was a week or two later when I walked by the Vision Center at closing time. There she was. God, she was beautiful. What I noticed most were those beautiful eyes.

I walked in and stuttering, said something about how I happened to be in town and wondered if she wanted to get a bite to eat. Summoning her courage, she stood silently, weighing her options for what seemed an eternity, then finally said that she usually got a Coke after work every night at McDonalds and guessed she could meet me there.

I did an internal dance of joy and told her I'd be waiting at Mickey D's. 

It was important I go on ahead as I didn't want her to see me in my only vehicle at the time, the old Man Truck. With fenders falling off and featuring a rust decor, the old wood's relic wasn't a good first impression maker.

She eventually pulled into the parking lot. I met her at the door and ushered her inside. She ordered her usual, a Coke. I had a hot fudge sundae. 

We talked and did the careful verbal dance of getting to know each other. Trying to be suave and debonaire, I managed to slop half a sundae down the front of my shirt. 

She didn't excuse herself and leave after. We both shrugged it off and laughed. Hmm, my kind of girl.

The mystery woman whom everyone called Sarge remained a mystery for several weeks. We'd meet at a neutral location for each date, spend an afternoon together, but that was it. I had her phone number, but other than pointing in a general direction to the east, had no idea where she lived.

Time went by and I flew back to Alaska. We kept in touch daily and when I flew back in October to close up the house on Pentoga Road, there she was at the airport, honestly, the most beautiful woman I'd ever met and to this day, have ever, seen. 

The rest is history. Both of us were just emerging from some very hurtful pasts and though we trusted each other, were wary of any longterm, final, relationship. We both wanted one, we simply were fearful of ruining what we'd developed, a true and loving friendship.

Six years went by and with that time, we became certain that neither of us wanted to ever live without the other for the rest of our lives. Yooper Brother Mark began asking when we'd tie the knot, but it was Mom who made it final.

We had previously decided to give her a huge 90th birthday party. One of the things Mom had previously mentioned was that she hoped Sargie and I would get married someday while she was still living. What better gift for Mom's birthday? She wanted it. She got it.

Not wanting to take the thunder from Mom's celebration, nor wanting any gifts, we waited until the last minute of the day before Mark asked everyone to stick around for just one more minute.

And there, by our garden on Pentoga Road, my beloved Sargie and I were married. With Yooper Brother Mark officiating and friends and family surrounding us, we sealed our union.

Maybe it's luck, perhaps fate or the alignment of the planets, but I prefer to think that it was God, He who felt sorry for a couple of aging and hurting souls, He who brought us together and joined us.

Today, Sargie and I begin yet another year of beautiful marriage. We have few up's, fewer down's, just a quiet, happy, loving, union. I never dreamed I could ever be so happy. She says the same.

I'm glad I never found the glasses lost on the four wheeler trail. In fact, losing them is the best thing that ever happened to me. Sharing life with Sargie is the best.

Happy Anniversary, Sargie. I love you with all my heart.

Love Always, Tom