Our Story
How "Me" Became "We"
Her Take
A bunch of us went out to celebrate a friend's birthday at a hibachi restaurant back in the Summer of 2014. I sat next to one of my girlfriends on one side and some kid with a really big beard on the other side. I had no clue who he was. As drinks and dinner were flowing this grizzly bearded dude, who's name I found out was Andrew, wasn't as scary as his appearance lead on (he actually let me eat the broccoli off his plate). He thought I didn't know how to use the chop sticks (I blame it on the saki bombs), so I just let him "teach me", make a guy feel good you know?
About a month later, that "birthday girl" called me and asked if she could give Andrew my number -- she kept saying what a great guy he was and how we both ended relationships not too long ago and she had a good feeling. He texted me the next day and our conversation felt like we had known each other for years. It started off as us making fun of each other, to getting to know each other, to texting each other non-stop. After him asking me to hang out about 7 times I finally caved in. He took me to MILLERS for drinks (how romantic, thanks friend for the recommendation in guy). When I got there we were both wearing black on black, leather jackets, and Cons (I looked cuter though), and little did I know I would have such a fun, silly, lighthearted time (with my future hub).
After we had a few drinks and a mountain high stack of nachos, he walked me to my car and tried to kiss me (I turned him down, sorry Anj!) I went into my car and drove to my friend's house (MOH Jillian) and said WOW I think I like him...but ugh, that beard!!! She said you never know but...I love beards (thankfully the b'yatch had a boyfriend).
As him and I talked for a few weeks I tried to come up with bets to see how I could get him to shave without coming off that I was trying to change him. So when we were hanging out one night we bet the beard on a game of pool and guess what, I WON!! He even let me shave the beard myself! When his face was finally revealed it was love at 11th sight.
Once the beard came off and we officially started dating for a few weeks, all I kept saying is how badly I wanted a bulldog and to name him Stanley. 3 days later we got a bulldog and named him Stanley. I guess you can say ever since the disappearance of the grizzly beard, life just fell into place. I will always be known as the one who turned Andrew from Duck Dynasty to my Top Gun Tom Cruise!
His Take
Forget everything you just read. Anyone who knows Carly and I knows I am the more reliable witness of the team so gather 'round the campfire if you want to know what REALLY happened.
True, Carly and I first met each other at a mutual friend's hibachi birthday dinner and we did sit next to each other. What Carly left out is that not only did she not know how to use chopsticks, but she also didn't know how to saki bomb (therefore her excuse for being a poor chopsticker, blaming it on the saki bombing, is inaccurate). Good thing I was there to teach her both (I mean, what 20-something doesn't know the art of the saki bomb?? But I digress...) One thing I will say though is that I noticed Carly's manners right off the bat. I don't think I ever heard anyone ever say "May I please have..." before ordering something, nice job mom and dad!
True, said birthday girl did give me Carly's number about a month after the dinner. Also true, mine and Carly's early texting days were basically busting each other's chops flirtatously and also included me sending her a "pic of the day" (since we were both technically single and playing the field at the time I had to think of some excuse to text her every day without coming off too strong).
After she asked me to hang out a few times (I was a very busy guy back then with a social calendar stacked to the rafters, not to mention I couldn't come across as too interested with someone I just started talking to) I agreed to meet her at MILLERS (her choice, not mine--I mean come on, you have to give me more credit than that I'm a classy guy!) Our matching outfits are pretty accurate, though there's no way in hell I ever wore Cons the first time hanging out with someone I was talking to (I must have rocked some rare SB's or something equally sneaker-headish considering the collection of rarified footwear I possess). I did walk her to her car but I NEVER tried to kiss her that soon (I'm a gentleman and would NEVER do that!), something we still playfully fight about until this very day. After our time together concluded I went back home to my PRISTINE apartment (that will matter later) and probably played Mario Kart.
The whole story about the beard is actually true. The only thing I want to add is that I let her win at pool because I sensed this whole beard situation was pushing me further into the "friend-zone", so I let her have that small victory. When people ask me what my favorite part of getting married to Carly is I tell them that if she wants health insurance I have to be allowed to grow my beard to the floor. Hey, I can dream can't I?
The whole Carly wanting a bulldog and naming him Stanley is all true. An important detail I need to add is my apartment back then was the ultimate bachelor pad. I kept that place so clean you could eat dinner off of the floor any night of the week. Once we got Stanley, Carly decided that she wanted to sleep over every night and Hurricane Carly was officially born, because my immaculate pad got absolutely and utterly destroyed (having a puppy didn't help things, but he was less messy than she was). But for true love, I guess it was a small price to pay!
#WEabraiDO
