Crazy Tales of meeting spouses Please Do Tell

I have a crazy and True Tale of the night I first met my wife to be, and then how and where we met for the second time. From there we never looked back….

OMG, in finishing this I realized something! Will anyone see it I wonder?

It was the middle of May when I returned from spending nearly four months with a house load of guys in West Palm Beach to escape the absolutely
Horrid Winter we’d been having offshore.
January was coming to a close and I’d seen enough.
I called my long time friend Brian down in Florida and he invited me to come stay with them. Him and four guys had rented a big house not far from the Inter Coastal Waterway.
Somehow I found myself working at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach just a couple of weeks after arriving.
Let me tell you, that was a crazy place and beyond fun, but a story for later, maybe. But here’s a teaser, the girls, phew!

Did I mention how bad the Winter Weather was offshore?

It was crazy bad!
One monster blow after another rolled up and pummeled us from Cape Hatteras to be followed by Fierce Arctic Cold that roared in from the back side of the storms as they began to pass us.
When I say it blew I mean winds of 50 knots or greater for days straight, week after week.
We’d sail under Storm Warnings and ten days later, return under them.
There was one trip on the Kathy Maureen out of Boston that when we threw the lines, we knew we were steaming out into a 55 knot Nor’easter that ended up blowing 80 knots Nor’east and better for more than thirty six hours.
I’d lose sight of the other two boats jogging it out nearby for safety reasons as we’d all three boats be in different troughs of the 50+ foot seas.
The crests and valley’s of these Monster swells with a running sea on top of them were so big the crests were 150 yards apart and further.
When the center of the low passed by, and the ice cold 90 knot Nor’west wind that was dragged in behind it us hit, life was nothing if not totally INSANE!
It was a crazy, intense Winter Season that began in November for us and just kept getting worse.
Never before or since have I busted so much ice with the heavy orange plastic wrapped sledge hammers we used.
I can’t even begin to guess at how many thousands upon thousands of tons of ice we’d shoveled over the side.
It was all men on deck for as long as it took.
We were literally in a fight for our lives, and looking back it amazes me that none of us got frost bite or hypothermia, but I promise you this, our hands, feet, and faces suffered horribly.
The viscous and biting cold freezing spray, driven by hurricane force winds out of the Nor’west, stuck to every surface immediately.
Breaking up and shoveling a foot of rock solid frozen sea ice off the
steel deck, not to mention the thick ice that surrounded us, no matter where we looked outside the boat, was misery beyond imagination.
It’s hard to express just how savage the cold was that radiated off that steel deck and hull of the boat aside from saying it was pain. A burning pain.
By some miracle I’m sure, we made it back to Boston with only one window blown out on the wheelhouse, but we did lose the radar dome and every antenna had been ripped from the mast.

Now, fast forward back to May….
Two days after returning I was throwing the lines on a wheelhouse forward, steel Western Rig Scalloper from Virginia who’s company had moved six boats to Fairhaven for northern operations.
A huge area of 60-70 count scallops had been found up on the Northen Edge of Georgia’s Bank. These were small scallops, to me it was,seed stock that should have been left alone but NO, the fleet attacked it.
I’d made two Long 14 day trips up there and it was a Sunday night. The next morning, Monday I had to be at the boat by 09:00.

By buddy Dave had painted his TR-6 magenta while I was away (ugh) and we buzzed out to Alhambra’s on Rte 177 in Westport. At the time I had no car of my own.
It wasn’t my favorite place being a disco, (I’ve not an once of rhythm in my body).
It was The Casino I loved, perhaps you’ve read my story Green Eyes, can I please be twenty again that I posted here. That was a fun night !!!!!!!!!

Anyhow, Dave and I ended up at Alhambra’s about 9:00 that Sunday night and as usual it was mostly girls on the dance floor dancing together.
I always found that weird, but then again “white guys can’t dance”. Right…?!?

Well, I was leaning against the rail looking down at the dance floor and I spotted these two girls.
One was a really beautiful brunette but it was so obvious she new she was by the way she constantly glanced around to see who was looking at her.
I was all set thank you….
But the other girl, OMG. She was a gorgeous strawberry blonde with a great body and dazzling smile and boy could she dance.
We met eyes a few times and when I smiled at her once she smiled back and locked eyes on me, and then turned her dancing into high gear, Wow!

The song ended and I lost sight of her as my buddy came alongside holding a bottle of Heineken.
I told him about the girl I’d seen and he pointed out another to me he had his eye on.
Yeah, no, not my type. I’ll just leave it at that…

Poor Dave! More often than not he’d end up talking to the friend of a girl I met. For a really handsome, well built guy, Dave didn’t do well on his own, he was too shy.
He decided to make the rounds and took off.

It was then I saw her again.
She was dancing with some little geeky looking guy. I can’t tell you how many times we met eyes and smiled at each other, and then the song ended.
As he led her off the dance by an exit close to the rail I was leaning on, I saw my chance and approached.
He had let maybe three feet get between them or maybe she had slowed down because she spotted me coming.
Probably both is my guess, but it was too late for him now, because I just cut in and stepped right in-front of her.
We went out on the floor and basically just looked and smiled at each other after exchanging names.
It was so loud in Alhambra’s that you had to shout in someone’s eye for them to hear you.
Her name was Deb. I really did hate disco’s!

The rest of the night was a flurry and I don’t remember seeing Dave again except when he first came to our table and I introduced them.
We didn’t dance much more but found the quietest corner where we could sit and talk.
I let Deb do most of the talking and I learned she was an ICU Nurse and lived with her parents, etc etc.
I explained what I did and how I was leaving the next morning for 14 days fishing.
I really can’t remember much more about that night until the club started closing at midnight.
I explained how long I’d be gone again and that I’d look for her some other time when I was ashore.
I also remember the whole thing as being kind of awkward, neither of us really knew how to say what we really wanted to say to each other. I really liked this girl!!!


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Page 2

All the lights came on and I ended up just saying goodbye and went to find Dave. I looked everywhere, he wasn’t in the lower bar. Dave was nowhere in sight and I had even checked the men’s room, nothing.
I finally decided to check outside because people hung around out there, usually the drunk idiot guys, hoping for a last minute hook-up, LOL.
As I headed for the door I spotted her looking my way and waved and out the door I went. No Dave.
When I climbed the stairs to the upper parking lot I got a big surprise!
Dave’s TR-6 was gone. He’d left me there, 20 miles from home on a Sunday night at midnight, on what was basically deserted road at that time on a Sunday night. I had to be AT the boat by 9am!
Much later I found out that Dave had tried to approach the girl he was eyeing as she danced with her girlfriend. The evil chick tossed her drink over her shoulder at him.
Dave saw I was totally wrapped up with this red head and threw a hissy fit and just left me there.
I had no idea what to do, so I went back inside the bar and looked around.

Deb spotted me and came over. “What are you doing back here”, she asked.
I knew what was coming…
“Dave left me” and she broke out laughing, uh-huh, ok.
What else could I do but say goodbye again and that I hoped we crossed paths again.
Deb didn’t seem at all impressed and said nothing. I knew what she was thinking.
I simply turned around and left and walked out onto the little back country highway and stuck my thumb out whenever a car came by or turned out of the club turning my way. Nobody stopped.

After a little while a Silver 78 Monte Carlo pulled out. (I loved those cars but the V-6 sucked!)
It was her and of course she realized who she was looking at and down came the window.
What are you doing? she yelled. Hitchhiking home, my friend left me here. I yelled back.
As I walked over these were her words, I thought, and I stopped her, I know what you thought and why!
Dave really just left me here, he never said a word to me.

I turned and began walking away and as a car came by I held out my thumb and Deb yelled, Wait!
I’ll bring you home, get in.
Once in the car I explained how I had been bunking in my old room at my moms place between trips when I needed too since I’d let my place go when I left for Florida.
The first half of the drive to my place was awkward.
She seemed to be digesting everything I’d said and done. Who could blame her? The story I came back in with after leaving the club was a classic sympathy move that was well known and used.
After we drove in silence for a bit she literally stopped the car and asked, did that really happen?
He just left you here?
After a minute I said, we’ll go right by his place in a few miles, let’s ask him!
I’m going to kill him and I laughed out loud. I knew he would be home because all the bars closed at midnight on Sunday so even if he did leave early enough to go somewhere else I knew he’d be home by now. It past one o’clock already.
If you see a little purple sports car, and she stopped me.

You mean that TR-6 with no roof? That’s his car? I’ve seen it at Alhambra’s many times and just yesterday I saw it at Horseneck beach and I busted out laughing, I just couldn’t hold it in.
Guess what, I was there with him. If you’ve seen his car so many times it’s a wonder we haven’t met before now. With how much time you spend at sea I can’t say I’m surprised we haven’t seen each other before today.
Just then I pointed to where to pull over.
For the next thirty minutes maybe we just talked about this and that until I said, I have to be at the boat by 9am and I still have to pack my sea bags. Her reply was I have to leave for work at 6:30 and we both laughed and I got up the courage to ask for her number.
She told me and I said it out loud quickly, over and over like 7-8 times and Deb asked, Will you remember it? Forever! was my reply and l leaned over to give her a quick light kiss and I was thrilled when she kissed me back.
I said the number a few more times as she laughed and reminded her, Fourteen days from Monday until I get back, I’ll call you when I get in if it’s ok. She gave me a face, I gave you the number didn’t I and I felt like I was gonna die that question was so stupid….LOL
I got out and repeated her number over and over and over as I went in the house. I’ll bet I said it at least 200 more times as I put my sea bags together!
I clearly remember the alarm that morning and my eyes snapped open and immediately I said her number out loud again…..LOLOL!!!!

I got to the boat and we threw the lines and after a twenty four hour steam up to the farthest corner of The Northern Edge of George’s Bank we began fishing.
Six hours on, six hours off. Fourteen men.
I counted as watch after watch went by. Two watches a day on deck for twelve days.
Twenty four watches to work then it was a full day’s steam back to New Bedford then unload and clean the boat and the trip was over.

As soon as we pulled up to the open fish house door and got the boat tied up I jumped and ran to the payphone, and I mean I ran!
Her mother answered and I told her my name and politely asked to speak to Deb and I heard her yell out the words, Deb a guy named Phil (yes, my real name) is on the phone.
Your back. We just got in I explained. We still have to unload and get paid but I should be home be 4:00.
When she said, I counted the days and took today off hoping to hear from you, do you want me meet you at your mom’s at 4? I almost did a backflip!
You bet I do! I said and and after ‘the see you thens’, we hung up.

Unloading got finished and I had to hang around almost two hours before our so-called captain returned with our pay.
One of my buddies brought me home and we stopped by the bank first to cash our checks. I had a bit over thirty three hundred bucks of mad money in my pocket and we weren’t going out again until after the Fourth of July.
The captain, his son and half the crew were from Virginia and they wanted to go home for the holiday. I was more than ok with that, let me tell you!!!

My buddy turned the corner on my mom’s street and there it was, the silver Monte Carlo.
I climbed out and grabbed all my gear and unlocked the door to the inner hallway.
OMG, Deb was in there with my mom!
The rules stated I had to strip and leave all my stinky fish stuff in the hallway so when opened the door and walked in to find them sitting across from each other holding a glass of something chilled I was an absolute basket case.



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Page 3

Now, in my humble opinion this also needs to be told so any readers can fully develop a vision and the why as to the look on Deb’s face as I walked in the door.

At the time my body weighed two hundred and thirty pounds and was Solid Muscle without a half inch of fat on my body with a thirty three inch waist. I stood five feet eleven inches tall in bare feet.
Lee Jeans fit me the best, I hated Levi’s!
I was so crazy strong at that age it scared people. I got in many fights down the docks back in the day and lost only a couple from lucky shots, even when fighting more than one guy. I had fists like sledge hammers and the more I got hurt the more dangerous I became. If I wiped my lip and saw blood…..
(((Please, I’m truly not trying to boast! I so much wish upload was working, I’d show you. Today I’m fat and wheelchair bound.)))
I could literally run up and down staircases on my hands and my buddy Gary (you should’ve seen him on a trampoline, insane!) was a gymnast who had taught me to walk on my hands and he was the first one to fall when we raced on our hands at Horseneck beach.
We both made it over one half mile and I got about one hundred yards further than him before I gave up and collapsed.

Anyway, I walked in the door wearing only a skimpy pair of cutoffs and Debs mouth fell open as she looked me up and done.
I was filthy with a head of greasy dirty hair. My hands and arms were stained from grease and oil and getting them clean was no easy task. I was absolutely filthy!

My mother actually giggled and I think Deb realized her mouth was open and she snapped it shut…
The three of us talked for a couple of minutes until mom said. Please get in the shower, you smell rotten like fish…

LOL! She was sure right about that.
Forty five minutes later we left on our first date.

It was July. We got married the next year on the first day of Spring.

Thank You for reading!




The END

I met my ex ex online at last.fm , we both listen to the same band.
& my ex was a narcissist , so nothing to tell there
But have been single since several years. I have accepted that I will remain that way , at this point
So sadly no romantic interesting stories to tell.

I don't have a very exciting story about meeting my wife. I had to do laundry and went into the laundromat after dropping off two girls at the carnival that needed a ride. I started talking to her and asked her if she wanted to go next door to the bar for a drink...it was four in the afternoon, on a Saturday....so we went into the strip bar and I bought her a couple drinks. She gave me her number...I called her the next day and bought her breakfast on her way out of town back to Marquette.

There were no strippers in the bar at that time...but I knew the owner well and unless she was dumb, she knew that I went there once in a while. I actually would go there in the afternoon when I did laundry next door quite a few times, the owner did not work in the evenings. But I did occasionally go there when there were strippers with friends.....I told all this to her...I don't like to lie to people, it is better to tell the truth. The two girls stopped by at the laundromat after getting out of the carnival and I brought them to a party at someone's house...I was a free Uber driver that night.

Awesome!

Whatever works to find the one for you!

We just celebrated 40 years of marriage.





a reply to: rickymouse

I bet you’re fibbing. LOL

I’ll bet you have lots of love stories to tell.
Even if it wasn’t for life.

Are you being modest?

I’ll just bet you’re a keeper!!!!!




a reply to: ancientlight

a reply to: PiratesCut
Another great story! I hope you'll share more in the near future- I'm addicted! lol

a reply to: PiratesCut

A decade ago now, my now wife, kept "poking" me on Facebook (I didn't know her at the time). She and my sister had close mutual friends and we were in some of the same social circles, but hadn't really crossed paths directly.

After about 2 months of me getting facebook poked by this strange (but intriguing) girl, I initiated contact and we had a date where we ended up watching Wolf of Wall Street (on repeat) and ended up snuggling that night. She became my sister's roommate in college and I ended up dating her.

I moved to another state but we had already began dating and did the distance thing, traveling to each other on weekends/holidays.

I proposed a couple of years ago and we just got married in February, living together now of course, and with our free roam-rabbit Cooper (who sleeps on my pillow or near our feet on the bed every night now). No kids yet but hopefully eventually (she's in her late 20's with major endometriosis/fertility headwinds and I'm a few years her senior). Grateful we have what we do and hope to continue becoming a better partner/provider as the years go on.

Thanks, I just posted another………crazy ways of meeting spouses


Keep a weather eye out!



a reply to: nugget1

WOW, great story!

I got married at 24.
I’m 64 now with two girls and four grandkids.
Fishing busted me up pretty good but it’s been a blessed life!
As far as the endo goes, my wife’s sister was loaded to the gills with it.
How’s that for description?

She had real real bad and my niece, her daughter just got married about a year ago.
Have faith…..

Cheers brother.
Love the story!


da pirate 😎



a reply to: FamCore

originally posted by: PiratesCut
Awesome!

Whatever works to find the one for you!

We just celebrated 40 years of marriage.





a reply to: rickymouse

We are nowhere near forty years yet. We have only been married for thirty eight years.

originally posted by: PiratesCut

I bet you’re fibbing. LOL

I’ll bet you have lots of love stories to tell.
Even if it wasn’t for life.

Are you being modest?

I’ll just bet you’re a keeper!!!!!




a reply to: ancientlight

Thanks, but no it's true. Have been single most of my life, doesn't help to be weird/different , or so it feels at least to me In many ways I'm very boring stay homey , but I feel to alienated to connect to people

Dude, I think Deb was stalking you and using your mate’s car as a marker to keep tabs lol.

a reply to: PiratesCut

originally posted by: PiratesCut
Awesome!

Whatever works to find the one for you!

We just celebrated 40 years of marriage.





a reply to: rickymouse

That's lovely So rare it seems more and more these days, sadly. Good for you

Haaaaaaaa



a reply to: Dalamax

weird/different ????

It’s clear you haven’t met many fishermen L O L

See, a fisherman would be perfect for you!

we are gone almost 3/4 of the year. 🤩




a reply to: ancientlight

originally posted by: PiratesCut
weird/different ????

It’s clear you haven’t met many fishermen L O L

See, a fisherman would be perfect for you!

we are gone almost 3/4 of the year. 🤩




a reply to: ancientlight

Sounds good