I Met the Love of My Life one Friday Evening in 2003

In the fall of 2003, my life changed. I still hated my job, but my house was a home. I had completed most of the major projects I wanted done. I had been browsing on line for some one different.  Jeff was just draining me of energy that I wanted to apply some where else. I had said and done every thing imaginable to make him walk away, but he stayed. I suggested that we not see each other, but every night he'd be there at the house, wondering what was for dinner.  

I had bought tickets in early 2003 for a Southern Caribbean cruise. I was scheduled to leave the week of Thanksgiving.  But I couldn't see going with Jeff. I wasn't sure who I'd be taking, but he was no longer an option.  If that didn't send the message, I wasn't sure what would.

In late August, I noticed a picture of a man who caught my eye.  He was so handsome and a smile that just lit up the screen. He was six foot four, athletic and toned, divorced, employed, so far he had a lot going for him. I never responded to the profile, but it kept popping up in my searches like a bad penny.  In my wildest dreams, I would never have thought he would find me a "match."  I was window shopping and then one day, he "winked." September 8, 2003, we started chatting via instant messenger.  His name was "wjkle' and I started to call him "winkie" because that is what I saw when I looked at his username. We chatted for a few days before we exchanged names.

We had different schedules so we were not always on line at the same time. I was concerned that he may not be who he really was as one profile showed that he lived in Nora and yet another site showed him to reside in Indianapolis and yet another, Avon.

Winkie was in the restaurant business.  He worked different shifts depending on the schedule.  He was the first man I ever dated that didn't have weekends off that coincided with mine.  His "weekend" was Tuesday and Wednesday, but once in a while, he had a normal weekend off.

We chatted for several weeks before we decided to meet.  Mike and Jackie were coming in for the weekend, Friday, September 26. It was the only night that Winkie and I could meet.  I called Jackie and told her I'd be home late as I  had a first date that I could not miss.

We met at Outback Steakhouse in Indianapolis.  He wore this beautiful cobalt blue button down Ralph Lauren Polo shirt.  He had on khaki's and he looked absolutely breathtaking. It was raining outside and he was inside waiting for me as I had to drop off some dry cleaning first.  I walked in the restaurant and it was as if I had known him all my life. There was this connection that was immediate, a physical and emotional charge that drew us in to one another  and never let us go.

We sat and talked for hours about our lives and where we had been, like two friends who had been apart for a while, catching up on each other's life and savoring the moment you were currently in.  Winkie had to get up the next day early for work and I had company waiting for me back home.  We didn't want to leave each other, yet we had to.  It was so natural, so easy, so comfortable, this was the man that Ray had told me I would meet some day. I felt it in my heart from the moment I laid eyes on him. 

It was just a downpour when we came out of the restaurant.  We slipped out the back door and had to walk down the side of the store before reaching the front where our cars were parked.  Arm in arm we walked toward the parking lot, not wanting the evening to end.  He offered to walk me to my car, but I said I'd be all right.  We stood there just looking at each other, taking in the evening that we had shared, we had made plans to see each other on Tuesday for dinner and a movie.  He leaned in to kiss me goodnight and we darted off for our cars.  I had not felt his wonderful in  a very long time.  His name was William, his family and friends called him Bill.