Postcards From 1995...

Though we have been married 4 years, I still like to celebrate our original anniversary... it's so much more impressive. So, this week we will be 'celebrating' our 11 year mockiversary!

As this year happens to fall on the respective days they originally fell on (i.e like November 25th 2005, November 25th 2006 is also a Saturday), so it is very easy for me to be reminded of the events that took place leading up to the 'big day'.

Oh grade eleven... For me it all started, November 17th (a Friday). It was the SCC/MMC school dance. (Kim went to MMC, the all girl catholic school - why does that sound so 'naughty' - and I went to the 'brother' school, SCC.) We had a fairly tight circle of friends and the six of us met up at our friend Nick's house for a little 'preparation'... and yes, by preparation, I mean drinking. A few Jack Daniel's and Russian Prince vodka's later, we were ready to get going.

This dance, the second of the year, was taking place at MMC. I believe it was a 'Much Music Video' dance because I vaguely recall a giant TV screen in the gym. Most of the dance is a blurr (partly due to the alcohol, but also to the fact it's been 11 years). What I do recall clear as anything however is one song/dance in particular. Kim and I had been flirting quite heavily not just that night, but the weeks leading up to it.

(Flashback within the flashback - the Saturday earlier Kim and I had spent the night at our friend Melinda's house where wrestling, 'king of the castle/bed', human blankets, and flirtatious shenanigans were a plenty.)

So it was nearing the end of the evening, and I guess I don't recall it as clearly as I thought because I can't remember the actual name of the song, but it was a Bon Jovi song that started playing. Definitely not as a result of the song itself because really, it's Bon Jovi, but nonetheless, Kim and I started dancing. Something was different and it was this exact moment I realized that I wanted to be with Kim. While I may not remember the name of the song, I remember how tightly we both held each other. It was clearly obvious to the both of us that the other didn't consider this just another dance. It felt right. She fit in my arms so perfectly and it's amazing that I didn't ask her to marry me right there. The song ended, we vacated the dance floor, and shortly there after our group left for the night.

I remember there was a fresh layer of snow on the ground as we made our way back to Nick's to wait for our parents to come pick us up. The only other part of the night that sticks out in my mind is running/gliding down the street in a playful race with Kim when suddenly our friend 'fish' came gliding by and 'took' the race. For some reason it sticks out in my mind as a particularly humourous moment, yet I don't understand why. Had to be there, in the moment I suppose.

The next day (being 11 years today) I reflected on the previous night, and knew I had to ask Kim out. Melinda's house had been a regular Saturday night 'sleep over' for the four of us (including Mel's boyfriend Nick), and we made plans to meet there that evening. That afternoon after informing my mom of my new found feelings, to which she was ecstatic, I conspired with Mel and Nick on how it was to go down.

Mother Nature had other plans however and caused Kim's mom to throw a wrench in the plan. As a result of the snow falling, she stopped Kim from making the trek to Capreol. (While the map doesn't show a road, there is in fact a road to Capreol - maybe it was a mistake to do so, but yes, they built a road to capreol...).



So, I was forced to wait a week. As Kim and I went to different highschools we only had the weekends to see each other. That is unless one of us skipped class, and Kim being Kim, that meant I would have to be the one to skip class. Though she did drink and did say the occasional curse word, she would never skip school. (Even in university, she didn't miss ONE class - except that one before Easter weekend in third year and she ducked out of class early so we could make the trip north... wanker... I wonder if there is any correlation to her winning the award for the highest graduating average in her University Class..?...).

So, Friday November 24th rolled around. It was a friend of Kim's birthday so the girls were out for the night while the boys came to my place for what so happened to be the last night of my being single. For anyone who has had the privilege (and I use that term loosely) to see the 'We Suck' videos*, that night was the night that started it all.

*We Suck - our lame attempt at a comedy sketch show, with such classics as:
- The Christmas Story: What really happened
- Ninja Tooth Fairy
- "Treat Me Right - C'mon on Girl"
- Ninja Santa
- Eating Vegetable Thins with Steve
- Father Zeke
... and the long time running, "This is..."

Anyhow, Saturday arrived and Kim, Nick and Myself converged at Mel's house once again. After a homecooked spaghetti dinner we were whisked away by Mel's parents to Church. I couldn't tell you a single thing about Church as my mind was usually elsewhere (which years earlier had been the catalyst to me 'evaluating' the value of 'religion') but I do recall, once again, the walk home. During a playful snowball fight, Kim progressed beyond the 'snow' and 'ball' concept of snowball fight and proceeded to heave a giant chunk of ice, although covered in fresh fluffy snow, on to my arm, nearly crushing the lower half of my humerus. After careful consideration, I decided to continue with my intentions for her even after such a violent assault...

Warning: Extreme Cheese Beyond This Point
Disclaimer: I was 17, this is how I thought one woo'ed a girl.

So when we got back to Mel's I told Kim I needed to talk with her and we went into a room upstairs, where I inconspicuously placed a cd player with (as I hang my head in shame and type this next part) a CD ready to play. We were asked to move downstairs which worked out well for Mel as she, and this I only found out on our wedding night, spied on us through a hole in the wall.

With the cd player once again all ready to go, I babbled briefly to Kim about recent times and handed her a letter/poem I had written the previous Saturday. She began reading a poetic explanation for why I haven't asked her out previously and as she transitioned to the matter at hand I began track 2. At a precisely planned moment in the song, Kim read the line "...wear this ring" and looked up to see me holding my school ring (please review warning above). She took the ring, and in a moment that amazes me to this day, made a move on me. She came right in and kissed me - I did not object.

The night progressed fairly little from there resulting in a few movies (mostly watched) and some harmless kissing. We still laugh and wonder how we were able to just kiss for such extended periods of time. Now we have to remember to kiss each other sometimes as we fall asleep at night.

Anyhow, after parting ways the next day we continued contact by spending the night on the telephone planning our lives together including the "3 Kids".

Next thing I remember is sitting down at a computer starting to write a 'postcard' about a pivotal moment in my life 11 years earlier that all happiness can be traced to...