My Funny Valentine

It was my junior year of college. I'd managed to play my university years in the exact opposite fashion as my high school years. I opted to be the silent, mysterious guy in the back of the lecture hall- as opposed to the guy in front, answering every question, whom everyone knew and secretly wished would shut up. It was easier this way. I had big plans and I didn't want to form bonds I knew wouldn't last when I left. I found myself with a General Ed requirement unmet so I signed up for the only class that would satisfy and that also worked in to my current schedule; Anthropology. About 3 weeks went by and I'd successfully avoided contact with everyone in the class until the first test came along. I was breezing through the thing when a question came up that made me stop and think. I brought my head up, looking toward the front of the hall for some divine inspiration. The only thing I saw were two emerald eyes looking over a soft rounded shoulder, staring straight back at me. You might say this was my divine inspiration. After a quick lock she spun back around in her chair and I was left dumbstruck. I don't recall the professors name, I don't remember what the test was on, I couldn't tell you the exact course title or the lecture hall it was in. But those eye's are burned in to me. The next class I sat a few rows closer then normal, she a few rows further back. The next class I sat three chairs in from the aisle, she sat on the aisle, then claimed it was broken and sat right next to me. She strategically put her Starbucks cup on the desk so the name was facing me; Gina. The best part is when another student sat in the "broken" chair and she had to argue with him that it was broken. ... even though he was currently, successfully, sitting in it. Then she proceeded to peel an orange which she managed to squirt all over me, leading to our first direct conversation. That night I went home and told my mother I met the woman I was going to marry. And three years later I did just that. 6 years later we met our daughters, and in four months and 10 days we'll celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. I did everything I could to avoid this outcome. I had big things planned for life. But life had bigger, better things planned for me, so it came and found me. And I am extraordinarily grateful that it did.