When Love is Meant to Be

Life was just rolling along after I took my first job. In a way, it was sort of a sad time, too, because you miss hanging around with your school friends, but it was time for all of us to spread our wings and move on to the next phases in our lives. After that, it was fun to keep in touch with those friends and hear about any and all new experiences they may be having...life was good.

Dating in school was simply that...dating. No serious relationships and I wasn't looking for any in the near future because I had plans for myself which included more night school classes once I got my job and I'd need my own car too. Needless to say, I was so happy to land the job I had applied for and wanted and now I could focus on my goals. HA!

During my interview process for the job, I was put in a quiet room alone with a timer to take a typing test using a Dictaphone machine and a typewriter...yes, we are going way back in time...do they even make Dictaphone machines anymore? I know I haven't seen such a typewriter in many many years either! Anyway, a timer was set for a 5 minute timed typing test and I was so nervous because I knew how much I wanted the job that I didn't want to mess up this test. I was happy to be in a room alone to take this test...that helped calm me a little bit. I start typing and was feeling really good about it when this guy walks in the room and says "Hi Smiley" to me...to which I just sort of shook my head a little and kept typing. Well, he goes to use a phone at the desk next to me and then continues to talk to me while he's on hold...I started getting so angry with him and I was unable to finish the test because of him. I called him a jerk and was very close to tears...he had no idea what he had done. I must have scared him because I screamed at him, telling him I hoped he was happy because he just screwed up my chances of getting a job I was testing for. He said he was sorry and left the room! The woman who was interviewing me came back into the room because she heard the timer go off...she sees me with tears in my eyes and I tell her that I'm sorry but I was unable to finish the test because some guy came into the room to use a phone and kept talking to me. She shook her head and said "That must have been Tom"...knowing how upset I was, she was gracious enough to allow me to take the test again and assured me that no one would come into the room again. Still feeling like I blew it, I took the test and did very well with it, but still felt like they wouldn't call me after that. After the interview was over, my girlfriend picked me up...she had also gone for an interview near where mine was so we went together. She felt good about hers and we were both excited at possibly landing these jobs. I started telling her what happened and out of my mouth came words that shocked even me...I said that this really nice looking guy came in and screwed up my typing test. What? When did he become this nice looking guy in my mind...before or after I was screaming at him like a mad woman?!!

At the end of that week, my telephone rang and it was the woman who interviewed me saying that they would love to offer me the position and have me on their staff. I, of course, was thrilled. That same day, my friend also received news that she got the job she applied for and we were on our way to great things. We daydreamed about all kinds of things and both started our jobs the following week. I was instructed to park in the rear of the building and come through a back door as all employees did. The time clock was back there, too. OK, fine. Well, after realizing that coming through the back door meant I had to practically walk through that "jerk's" office, I decided that I would park elsewhere and come in through the front door. Well, I was told again that I had to park out back...I couldn't tell them why I didn't want to, so I just complied since it was what I had to do. Right from the start, this Tom guy irritated me to death with all of his attention. I dreaded the mornings and having to have conversation with him just because I had to come in through the back door. The thing was, though, he wasn't irritating in a bad way. I just didn't feel the need to have that much conversation with him. Each morning he'd greet me...then he started following me to the coatroom and he'd take my coat from me and hang it up. Soon he'd start calling my desk and asking me if he could bring me coffee or anything else. The other girls took notice to this and so we all started talking about him and I said it was sort of a pain to deal with every day. This kind of thing went on and on. Soon he was asking if he could take me to lunch and I always said no. Sometimes I would run out and pick up lunch for several of us and would ask if I could pick him something up too. Whenever he wanted something, he'd give me money for his and the bills would have messages written on them! One day I was handing the clerk money to pay for lunches I was bringing back to work and noticed his note that day said "I think I'm falling in love with you"...I said "oh brother" to myself and never mentioned it to him that I had seen it. He was grinning like a fool when I brought his lunch back...probably wondering if I had seen it. The next day when I went to the same place to pick up some lunch, I got that particular bill back in change!! The other girls and I had a good laugh over it. Oh, and earlier, it began where Tom would ask me daily when we were going to go out on a real date to which I would answer never. Then one day he asked me point blank why I wouldn't go out with him and I point blank told him that I guess it was because I just didn't like him.

The job was going very well. I was able to buy my car and was moving forward with my little goals. Still, there was Tom. So, the girls knew he wasn't letting up on me and so we devised a plan. The next time he asked me out, I was going to go and just act so bored and be as boring as I could so that he'd never ask me out again...that was the plan. Within a day he asked me out for that coming Friday night and I said yes. That alone shocked him after all of the times I said no. We were going to go to a football game at the local university. He was right on time picking me up and off we went. The plan immediately went downhill! After the first 30 minutes with him, I found him so easy to be around and so much fun. It was a great night and it was nice seeing him outside of work where we learned a lot more about each other...we talked for hours that night. I was so happy at the end of the date and couldn't sleep that night. I couldn't wait to tell my friend the next day! I now saw Tom a whole lot differently than I did just days ago. I knew that I wanted to see him more. What a great date and a great weekend.

Oh no, I'm driving to work that Monday morning after the big date and it suddenly hit me that the girls will be dying to know how the plan went. How will I tell them that I had a great time and he is such a great guy? I couldn't lie because they'd know...probably from the silly grin I wasn't able to wipe off my face. Now I would pull into my parking space in the morning and immediately look for his car...hoping he'd be there! Just like I thought, the girls were waiting for me with coffee in hand and before I even began to speak they knew. So much for the big plan!

To make a very long story short...when love is going to bite you, it will whether you want it to or not! You may have made other plans for your life, but those will just have to change because this is what was meant to be. Tom and I will celebrate our 32nd anniversary this summer. He's still a wonderful guy and lots of fun!