An April Fools Story.

A little over eleven years ago in the middle of the night I sat in my bedroom staring at posters of boy band members I had plastered on the walls. I had just come back from a date which went horribly wrong on so many levels. I couldn't figure what was so wrong with me. Sure I still slept with the same stuffed animal I had since I was a toddler on occasion. What young twenty something didn't from time to time. And I still had the same posters I had since high school lining the walls. And yes I still lived at home with my parents. I was saving money. I worked. I was going to school. I really didn't think any of these things made me truly a horrible person. I had things to offer. I knew this.

Flipping on the television I turned it to some music channel because nothing else was really on that interesting at two in the morning. As some video ended the station headed into commercials. And that is when the stupid commercial came on. The one with the happy couples smiling at each talking about love and happily ever after.

Online dating??

I didn't really know what to think about it. Other than I was pretty sure if my parents found out they would kill me. After all finding love on the internet back in the early 2000's was totally different. But I was willing. I heard all the warnings, and still I flipped open my laptop and created an account.  I assumed I would know the crazies from the lunatics and besides I could always delete my account. It was free. Well unless I found someone and wanted to contact. But I really didn't think about this at the time.

I hit the submit button, closed the computer and went to bed without thinking much of it.
A week later I got a hit, while I had gotten a couple since signing up, this one seemed actually legit, and real and he was right down the way from the area.

What would follow is several nights on the phone, and emails back and forth. Long extensive convos at night on Instant Messenger, or in class while I was supposed to be learning. Yeah, that didn't exactly happen I admit. I was enjoying talking to the guy at the other end. We talked about anything and everything really. Best friends, high school. I told him about my disability, and he told me he was a big guy. It didn't matter to him. I am pretty sure that was the line that did it in for me. I know I should have been more worried but in all honesty I didn't. Even if it amounted to nothing in the end, maybe just being happy for a few weeks was enough.

And then one night he mentioned meeting. In person. No more over the phone talks about make believe people. No more thinking or wondering. And so I agreed.

When?

April 1st.

As in April Fools day??

Um yeah, that wasn't going to happen. I could picture it now, showing up at some per-determined meeting place only to find he wasn't the kind of guy I wanted him to be. Instead he would be pushing 65, balding and have this major overbite. Yes, that is what would show up if it was on this date. I was certain of it. Or maybe he wouldn't show up at all. Because that's the kind of luck I would have.

Three days later, on April 4th I met the guy who is is now my husband. He was in fact not 65 nor balding and his teeth while not perfect held no signs of an overbite.

Eleven years later we both laugh at the joke, turned out it was the best one ever.