In Other Words With Dave – February 2019

When I cut across the parking lot at Target diagonally – running over all the white stripes that outline where cars should park – I can feel the anxiety rising in the seat next to me. I quickly correct this infraction and restore calm. All is good again. Can you relate? Do you know a rule follower? I do. Her name is Alison. 

Here’s a few of her greatest hits:

• Rain, sleet or snow. She always puts her shopping cart away in the “return your cart” area. 
• She won’t eat anything if the date is expired – the day prior is fine, the day of… it’s in the trash.
• Without fail my ” Thank yous” are always followed by a “You’re welcome.”
• She’s rigid with recipes; when a recipe calls for a “pinch” of something – yeah, that’s a problem. We’re going to need to define that term.
• Back in the day, she’s told me that she always followed “Be Kind and Rewind” rule (millennials, Google it).

I do know of one rule Alison has broken, and it’s a good thing. She vowed never to date a widower. I’m sure she had her reasons, but whatever they were, she decided to answer my message on a dating site over two years ago. And after weeks and weeks of text messaging (obviously some of my best writing ever), she agreed to meet me for coffee at Java Dave’s. And then Evoke. And then All About Cha. As our dating representatives (the best version of ourselves) let down their guard, we really got to know each other and there were sparks. I’m happy that this rule follower broke a rule. So happy that over the Christmas holiday this past year, I asked Alison to marry me. 

She said yes in a Mrs. Santa Dress, but that’s another story…