Our Anniversary and How We Met

 Our Story---   

Our origins as a couple: Mel's story

Our life story (together) begins back in 1981 in High School. Mel (I) was a senior at the time, and Larry was a Junior. Being in different class levels meant our chances of landing in the same class were slim. It would only occur if we took the same advanced-level class or an elective study, which we ended up doing. I sat in the front of the classroom, and Larry sat towards the back, but this was a speech class, so it was an interactive, sometimes partner/group, performance class.

 Partners we became on one project. However, poor Larry did not get to share in the creation of our assignment other than pass along stacks of magazines to reference. Yes, that was the computer-less age, and everything had to be researched through print or firsthand experience. Mel had had less-than-stellar partners in the past, so she wasn’t going to waste her good grades on an unproven partner. Larry wasn’t exactly happy, but he went along with it.

No budding friendship/relationship immediately sparked after the project was turned in; however, there had to be some latent attraction in the air. When he asked Mel to go out on a few dates after she graduated (he had gotten a car), she agreed. Still, nothing came of the meet-ups. Larry entered the Air Force right after graduating high school the following year, and Mel was attending university. A year after she graduated from college, she moved to the DFW area to work for American Airlines.

Thirty years later, Mel’s sister Becky is playing on the computer and gets a message from a guy asking to speak (IM) to Mel. Becky comes into Mel’s bedroom, asking Mel if she knows a guy called Larry from High School. By now, both parties had returned to the San Antonio area so a local meet-up could occur.

That! is how old high school friends become a married couple 30 years after a fortuitous but forced meet-up (class project). It’s been almost 14 years since we said our “I do's,” and we are excited to work on a business project together. Yes, Mel is still trying to take over, but Larry has since found his voice, and Mel acknowledges that he has a lot of great ideas, so she is allowing him to participate equally. Mel no longer sees the shy, geeky teenager. She sees the incredibly intelligent and extremely kind man that she must have had a glimpse of back in high school.

Larry came up with the business name “Mellar” (a combo of Mel and Lar) and the logo.

Our origins as a couple: Larry’s story

I probably saw Mel in the hallway and thought, “My God, she’s beautiful,” and kept going. However, I do remember the first time I saw her. There was a new club in school named “Orb,” and they were playing board games and D & D, which was new at the time. I was into the board games “Squad Leader, Luftwaffe, and Bismarck.” Although I was a Star Trek and Star Wars nerd, I played war game-type board games, not Sci-Fi- Fantasy games. I joined with two of my friends.

 At any rate, I saw her, and I was immediately in love or infatuation. However, she had a boyfriend who had founded that club. I also knew him from ROTC, so I did not try. Plus, she had no idea I existed. My two buddies and I were late when they took the yearbook picture. We were unsure of which staircase the picture was taken on that day. We showed up and started climbing the stairs just as the picture was snapped. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

I felt Mel was out of my league, and as a junior I thought she would never look at me; I was a sophomore. That one-year difference in high school and when someone is 16 can be a big deal. So, I gave up and never talked to her. Every so often, I would see her in the hallway and think, “She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.” That was my school year as a sophomore.

 The next school year, I decided to sign up for a “Speech and Debate” class. I was painfully shy and hoped this class would help me overcome my fear of talking to others and speaking in front of people. I went to class on the first day, and as I sat there, Melanie was across from me in the front row. I couldn’t believe this was really happening. I must be in a James at 15 episode or just dreaming. I decided to talk to her. The class ended, and as I started to walk up to her- she left the classroom. I knew it. Mel had no idea that I existed.

She would look my way every so often, and I would try to smile at her. I probably looked like I had gas and was very unimpressive. One day, we found out we had to do a project, and the teacher would assign us a partner for the project. I hoped it would be Melanie and asked my buddy Randy if he would switch with me if she and him were paired. Randy never had to sacrifice for me- Melanie and I were paired together for the project! The project was short, and when I arrived at her house, she had already finished the entire thing. But at least we were now talking, and she knew my name. I also found out Mel was very smart and witty. I loved her verbiage when she spoke. She used words no one I knew used, and I loved it! We chatted here and there during the year.

I kept her number but did not call my senior year. Mel was in college, and I figured she would not go out with a high school kid. So, after graduation, I found her number and figured what the heck. I called and asked her out to a movie, and Mel said YES!  We dated three or four times, watching movies and eating out. Then, I went to basic training in the Air Force at Lackland. Luckily, we had grown up outside Lackland AFB, and when we were allowed visitors, I called Mel, and she visited me on base.

Every so often, when I would fly back to San Antonio, I would give Mel a call, and we would watch a movie and go eat. Eventually, we drifted apart, and the calls became fewer and fewer. No computers to chat on or cell phones to call and talk or text on at that time. We both moved on, and I married someone else.

 I left the A.F. and stayed out for 5 years before I joined the Navy Reserve. After 9/11, I was activated, and when my time was up, I returned home to a divorce. I had never forgotten Mel, and after a year of clearing my head and becoming a single father, I looked for her. I found her on Classmates and sent an email. She replied, and that was pretty much it. On Thanksgiving, I came home from work and was alone that night. I booted up the computer and added Mel to my Yahoo Messenger, although I had never seen her online. I sat in disbelief as I saw her name on the active list. I sent a message and waited. I sent a message that said something like “Hi, this is Larry” and waited for her reply, "Which Larry?” OMG, she has more than one Larry? So, I typed the one from High School. Nothing…..then “This is Mel’s sister Becky. Give Mel a few minutes, and she will be online to talk to you. We chatted for two months online and finally went out as “movie buddies” and ended up dating every time Mel was back in town and talked on the phone and chatted on Yahoo messenger almost daily for eight months before we made it official and said we were actually dating. Three years later- we were married, and life has been wonderful with Melanie ever since.

Mel and I are planning a blog about “How we met” for everyone to write in and leave their story of meeting their significant other. In the future, we may put some stories together and make a book. Let us know how you met and give us your story so we can include it in our project.

Today, 1 Nov 2023 is our 14th Anniversary. Thanks for putting up with me, Mel- Love you.

Thank you for reading, and- enjoy your coffee

   Mel & Larry

 Mellar Mercantile Coffee