On this day, eight years ago, M and I went on our very first date. We'd met the evening before, and he'd asked if I had plans for the following day. I did have plans; I loved M. Night Shyamalan movies and his newest movie, Signs, had recently come out. In fact, I think it may have been the opening night, and I'd made my best friend Jennifer promise to come see it with me (even though she hated those movies.) I told him that I already had these plans, but that he was welcome to come with. He said he'd call me.
I assumed he would be a typical guy and leave me waiting for the phone call, but he didn't. He called at 10am. He told me, much later, that his friends had told him to wait until the late afternoon to call, but he'd told himself he'd wait until at least 11 and he'd only made it to 10. I was equally eager, having already picked the movie location and time. We agreed, and I went hunting for what to wear. Many hours that day were dedicated to finding the perfect outfit.
Jennifer and I drove to theatre - it was 30 minutes away from where we lived and halfway between our city and M's city. We bought 4 tickets; M had said he'd bring a friend for Jennifer. Jennifer was actually furious with me - she didn't want to be set up. Actually, she's still pretty mad at me about that night, since the friend M ended up bringing turned out to be such a dud!
When the start time of the movie came and went, and we were still waiting outside, I was worried I had been stood up. M showed up 30 minutes late, and he didn't have a cell phone, so he was just lucky I waited around that long. We exchanged out tickets to The Road to Perdition instead, since it would be another 2 hours until Signs started again. I had REALLY wanted to see that movie, too! M made grumpy faces that I'd paid for the tickets already, though.
When we went inside, he made a big show that he would be paying for refreshments. And then his credit card was declined! Later on, when his friends would warn him not to marry me because I was probably only marrying him for his money, I wanted to remind them all of this. In the end, he had $16 cash and borrowed another $1 from his friend - he wouldn't take the $1 I offered him. He bought my friend and I cherry slushees, and his friend got nachos and a drink. M had picked out a drink and a hot dog. Later, he told me his friend told him after he'd paid for the order that the hotdog was pork. Throughout the movie I kept asking him if he was going to eat his hotdog - it was getting cold - but he never explained why except to say that he wasnt hungry anymore.
We talked the whole movie. We made the people in front of us really angry. We talked all about our lives, where we worked, what did we do. We talked about the top exports of Brunei and about their holdings of Australian land and cattle - you know, usual first date stuff. About 3/4 of the way through the movie, he grabbed my hand to hold. When the movie ended, we said goodbye and hugged - our friends barely nodded to each other. I wouldn't know until after we were married, but immediately after the movie, his friend would sit him down on a bench outside the theatre and counsel him not to get too focused on one girl - this was just the tip of the iceberg. He didn't take that advice - we saw each other the next two nights also, and we were married 16 months later.
Now, eight years later, we have an amazing life together. He is my best friend and perfect partner. I love you so much, my Mian, and I love the life - the family - that we've built together. I'm so happy that I waved back at you. Happy Anniversary. Now take me out to see a movie!
