The Moyers

The Happy Couple

The Pets

"He said, She said"

Posted by RendeR April 20th, 2007

Chris' Version

Let's see, how far back do I have to go? It was the summer of 1995. I was a student in college after having served in the US Navy. While working on a paper a classmate introduced me to the world of internet talkers, or chat rooms, as most people call them. interactive contact with an unlimited number of people just like me. It was an amazing thing. I spent my off time talking to anyone and everyone. One person who I befriended right away was Telle(aka Jeanine). She was a teenager from Buffalo who just loved to sit and talk. She listened to my troubles, and laughed at my corny jokes. Over time, she became one of the friends who I looked for whenever I was online.

Over the next two years or so we were always good friends, we talked and joked while she listened to me pour out my soul on a regular basis. Jeanine was always there to listen to me. She was always the one person I could turn to.

It was December, my birthday had come again, and I recieved a card in the mail. Jeanine had written me a card, and included a poem and her picture. The poem she wrote said so much. She poured her feelings into every word. Her poem told me how she had come to feel about me. Sight unseen, She told me she loved me.

My first reaction was shock, then disbelief set in as well. I talked to her about it. She was really nervous about my reaction to what she had written. I did care about her, very much so. My biggest worry was our age difference. I told her it wasn't a good idea. She should be dating guys her own age, but she was rather stubborn(and still is mind you!) She accepted my opinions or said she did, while telling me they really didn't matter, She loved me she said, and thats bigger than age.

We finally met face to face in March of 1997. She took the bus to see me in Virginia. Of course this created some difficulty, as her family wasn't aware of where she was spending the weekend. The weekend was amazing, she lit up my heart like a beacon from the minute I saw her. Her hair, her eyes, she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. We spent those first few days talking, holding hands, and just getting to know each other as real people, not just as a name on a computer screen.

She asked me to take her to her Prom. I was flattered, and completely paniced. This was a Prom, I'd never gone to my own prom, I would be older than everyone but the chaperones. It was a really frightening thought. I took the train and Jeanine met me at the station with her mother. Cheryl wasn't thrilled with me in the beginning. I tried to be as polite and gentlemanly as I could. Meeting the woman you love's parents is never easy, and the way our relationship started made it that much more difficult.

I went back to Viriginia after the Prom and spent some time working and basically just living. Jeanine and I talked constantly, by phone, and online. When it came time for graduation she wanted me there. So again I took the train to visit. I met her father and grandparents this time. I tried to spend some time getting to know her mother better as well. It wasn't easy for them to accept me. They really didn't, I think, for a long time even after the graduation trip.

Our relationship grew and become stronger and more powerful when she went to college. I found a job in the city nearby and moved there to be closer to her. As the time went by she let her family know that we were still together, and eventually we moved her into my apartment with me.

The next few years were filled with the ups and downs that every couple go through. Through it all I've come to know that I love Jeanine more than anything else in my life. I'm so very thankful that she said "Yes".

Jeanine's Version

She said, "What he said just about covers it."
*grins*