An anniversary

Twelve years ago, on a Tuesday night, April 16, 1996, I met Stephanie, Vincent, and Papa Larry for the first time, as Stephanie and I - set up by my cousin Diana, Stephanie's co-worker (even though I told her I didn't want to date someone with a kid or someone who was younger than I was and I wasn't told that Stephanie already had a boyfriend, or two) - went on our first date to Little Professor bookstore, near campus on Lane Avenue (we were rained/closed out of two (one indoor, one outdoor) plant areas we talked about visiting on our date)(where Stephanie shared with me her perspectives and close shave with abortion, my dissertation research topic and - outside in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center (pictured above top - after a recent renovation), realized and nearly confessed about our age gap - and, at a nearby pet store, visited where our first turtle, Sawyer, came from a few weeks later), and to La Chatelaine Lane, a French cafe (pictured above bottom), where I had a lemonade. On the way home we listened to Linda Ronstadt sing "When You Wish Upon a Star," and on a cold, clear, windy, starry night, I looked up to the stars and got my wish as Stephanie and I kissed good night. Five days later, on the night of Vincent's birthday, the three of us went for a walk in a Columbus metro park, went to Taco Bell, and hung out at Stephanie, Vincent, and Larry's house. Apparently that night when I sufficed a statement with " . . . if your Mom and I are still friends," Vincent piped in: "I think you and my Mom will ALWAYS be friends." And so it was/has been.