Our how we met story, chapter two
by Katie
He wouldn’t quit talking to me. I had tried to ignore him by holding up my morning newspaper, pretending to be intently reading it but then he had started talking over me to the red-headed woman on my right.
This man sitting to my left was the chatty man on the airplane. He was slick and thought he was pretty hot stuff. And he would not quit badgering me. Where did I live? I told him. Where in south Fargo? Great. Now he knew where I approximately live. Oh and he lived nearby. Just what I needed, a stalker.
I was a single mom living in my three bedroom twin home with my little fenced yard in south Fargo and now the man sitting next to me knew where I lived. I hoped he wasn’t going to ask me to meet him for lunch sometime soon. He asked about what I do, where I was from, why I was going to Kansas City. On and on he asked questions throughout the flight. He now knew about me, my work, our family farm, my son…why was I even willing to tell him any of this information? I couldn’t escape and was being held hostage to his questions. Thankfully the flight was only an hour or so in length.
Finally near the end of the flight, the chatty passenger told me he had just gotten engaged a few days ago at a Minnesota Twins game. Relief spread across my face. He was engaged. He was not hitting on me. He was just friendly. Chatty and very friendly. And he was in sales. Pharmaceutical sales. A slick and polished salesman.
A final question as we were landing from him was “So are you single?”.
I was keeping all answers to him short but this time I expanded, knowing he would push for more information. My past dating life was not something I was going to share with a chatty stranger salesman.
I looked him directly in the eye and said “Yes, I am single and for more reasons than I am ever going to tell you.”
He chuckled and without missing a beat said, “Well you should meet my boss.”
I was amused. He always had an answer, never could he just end it and actually let me read the newspaper. I complied, deciding to play along with his ongoing inquiries and said, “Oh really. Well if he is from North Dakota, I have probably already been set up with him.”
I had been through the ringer with dating. I had prayed for contentment. Mr. Right was not showing up on my doorstep and being content with my happy life was something I needed to do. I was focused in being the best mom I could be to my son and on my career. I had my list of requirements of the perfect husband for me. All men fell short and I was no longer looking.
Thus, I was not interested in meeting the chatty passenger’s boss. I sarcastically replied with a grin on my face, “If he is divorced twice with four kids, 5’7″ and balding, I am not interested.”
Again he always had an answer.
Chatty salesman said “No he is single, 30 years old, never been married, no kids.”
I said “Oh and I suppose he is tall, dark and handsome too?”
The chatty salesman replied, “Well I am not a very good judge. But yeah, I think so.”
The plane touched down on the runway in Kansas City. The plane was pulling up to the gate.
The chatty salesman said, “Actually my boss is sitting right up there in row…1,2, 3, 4. 4B.”
What 4B? I was suppose to get that seat. Then the gate agent said a “platinum” member had requested it and so I didn’t get the upgrade to first class. I was back in a middle seat inside, 10E, next to the chatty salesman. Now I saw indeed a man getting out from that seat 4B, wearing suit pants and a blue shirt. He was tall. He was dark haired and from everything that I could see as I strained my neck to catch a glimpse, he was handsome.
The chatty salesman and I walked off the jet bridge together. He insisted I give him my business card. I was reluctant. I told him it was great to meet him and that maybe I would see him around Fargo but that really I was not interested in meeting his boss.
He would not give up and followed me out of the gate area. Now his boss was standing just feet away from us. My eyes glanced over towards him. He was put together, good looking. Actually he was looking very good for an early Monday morning.
I walked over to call my taxi while the chatty salesman now known to me as Josh followed, persistent and not giving up on me until I handed over my business card. Fine. I would give in and even pulled out a pen from my purse and wrote my cell phone number on my card.
Josh smiled his big, slick salesman grin and said, “Do you have plans tomorrow night? We have meetings and dinner all day today but I will call you at noon tomorrow and we can set something up to meet tomorrow night?”
I think I stammered about how I was going to be busy and wasn’t sure. But something in my head knew that I, of course, wanted to now go meet this tall, dark and handsome boss of his…and yes inside I knew I was going to meet him tomorrow night. But was the slick salesman really going to call tomorrow at noon? Somehow I knew he would call.
I got into my taxi. Fifteen minutes later I was walking into my office. I walked off the elevator only to meet a few co-workers standing in the reception area. They asked how my flights were.
I said “No problems. But I met someone on the plane and I think I might have a date tomorrow night…with his boss.” The “girls” of the office went nuts. Surely I could not meet out a stranger, they said. He might be “a crazy murderer or a rapist.”
I replied, “No actually he is from North Dakota. I think he’ll be okay.”
Anonymous says
Life lesson #1 for all citizens of the United States. Most small town North Dakota boys are okay!
Robbie
Julie says
I LOVE this story. In fact, I will forever remember hearing it for the first time and knowing that God had DEFINITELY had a hand in your meeting. Thank you for sharing!
Staci says
I agree ND boys are good boys (well most of them anyway)!! I love your story, please tell more!!!