Friday, October 7, 2016

Married!


Such a "big deal".....  

We were in some tax office (October 4 2016), here in Durango, filling out boring forms when the clerk noted that we always file jointly.  In the end, we agreed to be marked as married.  We signed some forms that, therefore, had the "married" box checked.  That was it.  Married by the Federal Government.

So!! our Wedding date is October 4th, 2016. 
(Hmmm.. JUST noticed (on 1/31/2018) that our wedding date is also:  TEN-FOUR.  Googled that and got this: 
A code used by CB owners possibly since the dawn of amateur radio, the code 10-4 simply means "Message received".

A brief history of our initial courtship, beginning way back in:

1992:
THE COURTSHIP BEGINS
(1)  I had been hired to teach an extended class in the "Art of Storytelling" to a summer's class of adults up at the Fort Lewis College campus, in 1992.  This was the first time I'd even HEARD of Durango.

(2) I had barely arrived in Durango, and I knew NO-one.  I was lookin' for stuff to do when not teaching -- and there was this one night when I wandered into a dance hall (not even a bar -- just a dance hall) featuring folk/circle dancing like Antioch used to feature.  Pretty hokey...
and yes they DID the Hokey-Pokey.
     
(3) ROBERT, a local lad born & raised in Durango, also showed up.  His mother had very recently succumbed after a long battle with cancer.  This was his first night out, to regain the spirit of Living.  Robert and I did NOT even meet eyes at this folk dance scene, BUT!!!  when we talked about it, we both admitted that we each had taken strong note of the other, viz:

(4) MY TAKE:   When I saw him walk in, I noticed how open, and non-judgmental he was -- quietly surveying the crowd in this funky old 1940s dance hall -- and how he simply joined in with the circle dances, warm-hearted and friendly.  Said I to myself, "Now THAT is a good man.  If there are men like this in Durango, I'll be okay here..." but I also decided he was too young for me, and so made no attempt to connect.  In fact, I found that folk dancing scene was just TOO hokey, and took off for the local bar featuring 60's music, down the street a ways.

(5) HIS TAKE:  Oh hey!  Robert noticed me as well, and he said to himself, "That is the woman I'm going to marry."  REALLY!  We did NOT meet eyes in that funky dance hall -- we just each "recognized" the other.
(6) THE CONNECT:  I arrived at the bar, down the street, where was a '60s rock band...  Not dancing, but rockin' out right there at the table.  Not long afterwards, Robert showed up -- he was literally looking for me.  Durango is a small town, and there was really no other place I could have gone to.
    He leaned over the table, past the strangers also sharing the big round table,  and with the warmest smile, said, "Would you like to dance?"
     I burst into a big grin (THIS  was THAT GUY with the warm open-hearted eyes).  Immediately, I tried to get out from the round table.  I was on the far side by a wall.... but the strangers sharing that round table utterly ignored me....
     Therefore, being a graceful, shy type, I simply climbed up onto the table top and WALKED OVER THE TOP towards Robert.
     Not surprisingly, the table TIPPED ("Grab your beers!!) and I fell right into his arms.  We danced every dance til the place closed. 
     Then we courted, driving back and forth between Taos and Durango -- two years filled with many types of outdoor adventures, camping trips et al. 

1994:
THE PROPOSAL:  And then...  well, they say, "You know you're a redneck if he proposes to you over the phone...."  ....which is what Robert did. 
     Robert (on the phone):  "Would you like to move up here?"  (translation:  "Will you marry me?")
     Me (on the phone):  "That means I bring all my stuff, and I never leave.  Are you ready for that?"  (rough translation:  "Oh yes!  Yes!!  Oh, I love you so much, YES!)

     SO!  That proposal was 22 years ago.

October 4, 2016 ("marriage" in that tax office)
October 5, 2016 ("reception" at a favorite restaurant)

     About the Reception:  Most coincidentally, it just so happens that (already in the works with no connection to our "wedding" in the tax office on Oct. 4)  is a wonderful gathering of friends at a favorite restaurant -- tomorrow night (Oct. 5). 
     Yup -- we'll secretly (maybe I'll mention it, maybe not) celebrate our marriage with friends tomorrow night (October 5) at our beloved "Himalayan Restaurant."
      What the hey!
                                               
Love to y'all,
     Sara (no, not changing my last name)

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