A Real Life Valentine--In the Summer

My husband, Jim, and I met in college. We attended a school that had turned co-ed only a few years earlier. As such, the place was still set up for males, and restricted women's access to some buildings, such as the gym.

The summer after we met, I got a job at the college and lived on campus. Jim, who was my boyfriend at the time, worked at the gym. The school had recently opened the gym to women, and gave us a locker room with scheduled times when we could use the facilities.

The first time I went into the women's locker room was a bit of culture shock--all those urinals and a big communal shower still in place. But lockers were lockers. I spun the combination and swung the door open. And jumped. On the topmost shelf sat a little paper cup containing a pink rose. I hadn’t told anyone the combination. How had someone gotten inside?

As I stared at the rose, I realized what had happened. Jim could access everything in the building and had found out my locker number and its combination. Later, he told me he had picked the rose from one of the bushes on campus. He even found a pink rose, though he didn't then know pink was my favorite color.

We've been together now for more than half our lifetimes--more years with Jim than without him. And, God willing, we'll be together for a good long time to come.

Happy Valentine's Day,
Linda
http://www.lindabanche.com