It couldn't have been more than a week after I started working at First Health, that I first met Andy. He was visiting a friend who sat across from me and talking. I remember he wore jeans and a white T-shirt (it must have been a Friday). I could see the tendrils of his tattoo sneaking out from under one sleeve. He also had an earring, and I remember thinking that this was not a person I would ever really want to meet. Based on appearances, I would have nothing in common with him, so I said hello, and didn't think twice about him. That is, until he started hanging around all the time. Since he was down by my desk all the time, I would talk with him, and I realized how funny he was. We became friends, but little did I know he was interested in more.

I never though of him in any way but a friend. I vehemently told him there was absolutely NO WAY we would ever be more than friends, we would never date. He wasn't my type. We began emailing each other during the work day and talking about our lives, loves, hopes, and fears. We went out to lunch frequently, but there was still no romantic intentions on my part.

Then one day, I came back to my desk and found a note on my keyboard. When I opened it, I saw a ransom note typed with cut-out letters. Someone had stolen a doll I kept on top of my computer. The note led me to the cafeteria, where another note waited. I had no idea who had done this, well, I couldn't narrow it down to a single person. I was led all over the company, finding little notes and clues. Eventually, I found a clue with a polaroid of my doll with a napkin over its head and its arms tied behind him with a robot holding a gun to its head. I finally found my doll and the culprit. Then I realized how creative Andy was. Still, though, I wanted nothing to do with him in any other way besides a friend.

What finally did it for me was attending one of Andy's training classes on computers. There was a group of people in the session and Andy was up at the front talking intelligently. I had never seen Andy in any role besides a goof and a friend; here, he had taken a more directive role. And I liked it. Suddenly, there were some butterflies in my stomach and reddening of my cheeks. From there, well, I tried for a while to keep it as only friends, and then just dating, and then exclusively dating, and now getting married. I fought it every step of the way. This is one battle I am glad I lost.

 

I was working at First Health in Tech Support and doing the training for all the brand new colleagues. One of the perks of doing the new user training was I got to scope out all the new ladies.

One Monday. I had to skip the class for some reason. Jim, the guy who filled in for me, came up to me later that week, "Andy, you HAVE to see this new girl in marketing - long red hair, beautiful eyes, and the cutest smile" - well I made a quick excuse and hightailed it down to the fourth floor, post haste.

Megan didn't take long to find. I pretended to talk to a friend of mine but I was really trying to stare at Megan. I still don't know where I got the courage to talk to her or what we talked about - but I do know I was smitten.

In the next few weeks we got to be friends, and I'm not exactly closed off with my feelings, when I like a girl - she knows it. And Megan kept pushing me away - nicely - but always away. I'm not her type was the reason.

One day I was leaning on her desk talking to her, and I started poking this little Intel doll she had sitting on her monitor. "If anything happens to him I'll know who did it!" she said. Later that day I was thinking about it and decided to take her doll hostage. THAT would get her attention. So I kidnapped the doll and left her these ransom notes and took a polaroid of him and waited for her to show up. She thought it was cute and funny and I think I got some points there, but still the "not my type" wall was there.

She told me later that the day she started thinking of me as a romantic interest was that day when I was teaching a class. After that she seemed a little more receptive to my advances. But she insisted on doing it her way - even when I knew what would happen. She likes to pretend it's going her way. So she would make these proclamations - "We'll never kiss" "We'll never date" "We'll never have an exclusive relationship" "We'll never get married"

I just kind of grinned and said "Whatever you say, Sweetie."