Forgot my flashback Saturday, so it's flashback Sunday...sorry

This one is not about my brother, I don't like him much, so I decided to go with someone I DO like this time... my wonderful husband, and how we met...

I met JP about a week after I decided to marry him. About the same amount of time after I learned his name. It truly was love at first sight for me.I was a senior in high school, he was applying for a job at the fast food joint I worked at. He was a college student, looking to make enough money to be able to turn on the heat in his apartment and possibly eat on occasion.

It was a slow day, mid afternoon when he walked in. I was hanging out behind the counter with a work friend. He walked in

(Hello Sailor! Damn!)

and asked for the manager. I noticed that he was holding an application. I fetched the manager and walked away. I knew he would be hired, low standards at those places pretty much guarantee a job for anyone with a pulse without a criminal record. He was a decent looking guy, pretty safe bet that he didn't have a criminal record. Mind you, this was a few years ago, when you didn't worry so much about the nice looking ones, just the creeps.

I quietly got my friends' attention and made sure she noticed him before he left. After he walked out to the lobby with the manager to sit down for an "interview", I politely let her know that she was not to put any moves on this guy. I believe my exact words were "Keep your paws off him"... Something to that effect.

She asked me if I knew him, and my response is something I will never forget, because I had never said it before, and God willing, I will never utter or even think these words again:

"No, but I'm going to marry him"

I then proceeded to explain to her that it would just be awkward for her to be pawing up my future husband. She was incredulous, she didn't believe me! She actually suggested that he could be an ax murderer.

"He's not, I can tell, and I'm going to marry him"

A few minutes later, the manager went back into the office, and my husband left. I rushed into the office doing one of those whisper/shouts at the manager. " I need to know that guy's name" I blurted out. She said "Why, do you know him?""Not yet, but I need to know my future husband's name, now don't I?"

She, too was tough to convince. But she gave up his name, and when she did, I almost fell over.

"His name is Jean-Pierre, but he goes by J.P."

Years ago when I was about 13, Steven was 15... We had a Ouija board. You know, those "games" that could channel the spirit world? Yeah, what a bunch of crap. Here's a tip for you: THEY'RE NOT REAL!!Every time I had my hands on one of them, I WAS THE ONE MOVING IT, NOT SATAN or any of his minions for that matter!!

So years ago, Steven and I are playing with this thing, Mom was sitting nearby watching us while she was knitting or something, not really paying attention though.
Steven thought he would be funny and asked it to name my future husband. Steven was looking for something to tease me about.
I had to think fast, it had to be a name that nobody in our small town had. I was thinking quickly, as I was moving the damn pointer. I went to the "J" because there are so many names that begin with J... I was sure I could easily come up with one and then I froze. Yes, many many names that begin with J, and all of those names are used by ugly, boorish, stupid or otherwise "tease worthy" boys in our school. Crap, I had painted myself into a corner. All of this was going through my mind very quickly. I decided very fast to stick to initials. I went to the "P"...

And immediately wanted to kick my own ass. As soon as I stopped on the second letter, I realized that there were two unsavory candidates in town: Jason P and Jonathon P... One a complete moron, the other a sweat laden slovenly character who lived just down the street.

So I had named my own future husband, JP... And waited for Steven to tighten the screws. He never did, maybe he wasn't that bright, and didn't get the connection. I do not know.

But five years later when I saw the application with JP's name on it, I froze.

OH MY GOD, I AM PSYCHIC!!

That whole Ouija board story is one in and of itself, and it will wait for another day, because JP was not the only thing I was right about that day.But it was the best.

We became friends at work, although I was secretly drooling over him. It went on like that for about three months. Eventually my friend discovered his friend, and begged me to hook them up. So Chelle and I went to JP's apartment to meet JP and his friend Pat. Chelle and Pat did leave together that night, but only because I kicked them out. I wanted JP and that apartment to myself.

He was such a gentleman. He walked me home at 4 am, then took me out for lunch the next day. I was so sure that he was the one, that I had no qualms about spending the night with him before we even had our first date.
He is the man that I was destined to be with. No other man could put up with me. He is the most tolerant, understanding loving man I have ever met. He is a good man, in every sense of the word. He is my best friend, my lover and co-creator of three beautiful smart funny children. I will always love him and always wonder how I got to be so lucky.