Even though she does not like to admit it, she was a flirt. She will claim she did not know how to flirt, WHATEVER! We had this little tire weight that we would throw at each other. She did not flirt, but some how that was always hitting me when I was not looking?? Anyway, we had fun. One day we were somehow trapped in the ticket hut at gate 1 and she almost kissed me. Well time was running out. I asked her everyday if she was coming back to the fair that night and if she would stop by and see me at the exit gate. The last Saturday night of the fair I got a real surprise as I noticed her walking up the hill towards gate 8 to see me. I was hooked for sure at this point. For my sake, she did not listen to her sister Kimbur who was telling her not to stop.
All week long she was telling people she was moving. Although she was not specific, I had the general idea what part of town she was in and I knew what her car looked like. The last Sunday night of the fair, I made my move. I went to DMP, wrote a note, taped it with clear shipping tape because it was going to rain and went out to find her car. Thanks to my dad for teaching me the city by delivering flowers, I was able to track here down in no time. I placed the note on here car and waited... And waited... And waited.............
Finally Tuesday night Aug. 6th 1985, my phone rang. It was Sam. She had found the note and was returning my call. We talked for a little while and I asked her out. Now here is the best answer a guy could get after all of my effort "well I guess, I would just have to stay home and do laundry". I guess that why we are such home bodies now, with 4 kids, we are doing laundry every night.
Now Sam's favorite part of the story was when I showed up to get her. You have to keep in mind, I worked 8 AM to Midnight for the last 10 days. Sunburnt, all of my clothes dirty, I show up in green coaches shorts (which I still have), some kind of white and green shirt, white socks with green stripes (that went over the calf) a big red afro and a hat. I am sure this is what sealed the deal for her!! We went to our first movie "Fright Night". She was a good girl and would not even kiss me on the first date. There is story behind this and it seems to be different depending on which one of us you are talking to (my version is the right one). I guess I caught her eye and heart as well. With in the next two weeks we were in St. Louis visiting here Dad and Step Mom. Of course Maria and Kimbur (sisters) were against it. I did not compare to any of the posters hanging in there apartment.
Well 20 years later sweetie, "There's No Way" (Alabama - 40 Hour Week). We have been though a lot and will go through a lot more. We have a 15 and 10/12 waiting to drive. We have four beautiful children, Kayla, Hailey, Lizzie (Mary) and Buddy (Nathaniel). Oh yes, I am the Paterfamilias.
She allowed me to spend as much time as I wanted with my mom and dad. No matter what was going on or what we had planned, if they called and wanted to do something, we were there. There were times Sam would be fixing dinner, my mom would call and want to go out to eat. We just turned off the stove and went. We spent most all of the holidays with my parents. She helped take care of them when they could not. My dad would call her Sam, Wife, Mary and even Sarah (old girlfriend), but she did not let it get to her. She kept on. There are not many people that would take care of their own parents let alone their in-laws. Sweetie, you will never ever know how much that meant to me, THANK YOU!!
Sam has meant so much to me over the last 20 years that I can not put it all in to words. I hope that I do and can show her everyday how much I love her and how much she means to me and the kids.
THANKS FOR 20 WONDERFUL YEARS
Looking forward to the next 20
