Dateline: March 18, 2000

I'm sitting on the couch in the living room I share with Rich. The place is somewhat tidier than usual, we've been given advance warning that visitors are on the way and being the conscientious guys that we are we managed to straighten some cushions and scrape the rings off the table. It was Kathleen's birthday and we were going out, I had been forewarned to "wear something nice". Being oblivious to the way things work, I didn't decipher the code that it meant I was to be introduced to someone. I did put on a clean shirt and shampooed the stubble on my head before slipping on my trusty ball cap.

I was totally engrossed in an NCAA basketball game. I think Kentucky was playing. I don't usually follow it, but its the playoffs and I'll watch the playoffs of any sport. I'm not sure I heard the ring at the door, but I do remember watching Fiona float across the room to deposit her drinks on the kitchen table.

I snapped to and realized this would be an appropriate time to turn off the game. We ended up playing some video games, a great driving game called Gran Turismo in particular. I definitely remember some good-natured ribbing and healthy competition as we raced each other around the track. I also remember Fiona laughing at me as I took a corner to fast and hit the wall. She barely had the last of her three "ha's" out when she plowed into the wall herself.

We left the apartment once everyone had arrived and headed towards Whyte Ave. We took the train. I sat next to her.

We got to the bar. I bought her a drink - a China White. And perhaps one more. Eventually everyone decided it was time to move on and we left the bar, walking down Whyte back towards the University. We were walking ahead of everyone else and so engrossed in our conversation that we didn't notice everyone else stealthily step into a cab and leave us on our own. When we got to the frat house we realized we had been judiciously ditched.

Fiona also realized that she had lost her cell phone. I had a pretty good feeling about how things were going when she didn't seem all that worried about losing a brand new phone. We eventually caught back up with everyone else, but it didn't seem to matter, from that point on there was really only us.

We later on found out it was a little weird that we hadn't met sooner, seeing as I had been friends with her cousin since junior high school. But we did meet. And I have been in love with her since then. They have been the greatest 10 years of my life. She gives me wings. My world is better with her in it. I look forward to the next 10, and several more decades after that.

I don't know who won the basketball game.