9 years and counting

9 years ago this week, June 14, 2001. I was living in Oxford, MS in a small apartment complex near the Square. The only reason I remember this particular date is because I had just gotten my hair cut.

I met my new neighbors the prior week. They were boyfriend and girlfriend and lived next door to each other in the apartments above me. One day I will tell you about how when they first moved in (during final exam week) and were installing new carpet and furniture, etc at 11:00 pm, it was so late and so loud I went and turned the power to the whole apartment complex off just so they couldn’t run their power tools and I could sleep.

Anyway, 9 years ago I took Katie Lou on a walk and came back to find a note on my door from the new upstairs neighbor girl. It said, “Hey we are going out tonight and thought you’d like to come. Meet us upstairs around 8:30.” So, 8:30 rolled around and I went upstairs to hang out with my new neighbor and her boyfriend. They were nice folks, I felt bad for turning their electricity off and apologized and they understood the maintenance men shouldn’t be doing that during finals late at night. The guy, his name was Jackson, he was from a small town called Kosciusko. The girl, her name was Julie, she was from a small town called Flora. They were cute as pie.

So, like I was saying, I met them upstairs and we hung out for a minute and they were like we have another friend coming. He will be here in a minute. I didn’t think anything of it. We were outside on the patio enjoying each other’s company waiting for Jackson’s friend…..then this guy pulls up on a motorcycle. It was loud and he revved up the engine or motor or whatever it was and I was like, oh my goodness, please don’t tell me this ‘queer-bait-goob’ is the guy coming with us. Oh, but it was. He came upstairs and Julie introduced me to him. His name was Chip.

Still I didn’t think anything about this nerd guy on a motorcycle. I mean it is not like he was a biker dude. He was in polo chino khakis and a polo knit shirt. He was anything but a biker and I think that is what I thought was so dorky. So we jump in the car and head to the Square. I remember this Chip fella opening doors and both he and Jackson paying for everything for all of us, he had great interesting conversation and was an all around a nice guy.

I guess I forgot about the first impression of the goob on the motorcycle because when he asked for my number at the end of the night I gave it to him. Well it totally didn't go down like that.  He told me to call him and I said no, I don't call guys.  So then he took my number and called me the next day.  I don’t think I ever asked Julie and Jackson if it was a set up or not. Anyway, 9 years ago I met my Chippy. I’m forever indebted to my friends Jackson and Julie Jordan who married a few years later and now have two beautiful babies.

If it weren’t for that night I may not have ever had the chance to meet my husband. I may have missed out on the last 9 years of hilarity in my life. I may have missed out on this little bugga boo. I can’t imagine my life without either of them.