It was hot and humid.  I didn’t know a soul there but he knew who I was before I stepped off the Freedom Bird.  He had access to the flight plans and rosters that gave him all the information that he (and the other guys) needed to know.  I was new and a female.  He says that he escorted me to an office during my in-processing but I don’t remember because I was so scared.  My first base, my first assignment and the first time being on my own.  I had blinders on and was focusing on breathing.

We worked in the same squadron (6th APS – Aerial Port Squadron @ Howard AFB, Panama).  I worked in the Orderly Room and he worked on the flight line.  Yep, that's right - a Ramp Rat and an Admin!  He would come by almost daily to conduct “business” in the area where I worked.  I never really “noticed” him because I wasn’t interested in a relationship.  But then he became a pest.  Always stopping by and making small talk.  He was irritating!  My co-worker knew what he was up to and felt sorry for him.  So she decided to try to “hook” him up.  She talked about him one day and I asked her what he looked like.  She paused and then said “He’s cute…for a white boy.”  After that, I guess I exuded some kind of pheromone without my knowledge because he kicked up his visits about 10,000 notches.  I was blatant in showing him that I wasn’t interested by reading Air Force Regulations upside down so he’d get the hint!  But he wouldn’t go away.  It got to the point that I would try to avoid him at every chance.  Was he deterred?  Nope.  He was on a mission.  I seriously could not stand him and he was making it worse.  I was extremely and purposefully rude and he still came back for more.

One day our squadron had a Hail & Farewell.  I had made up my mind not to go because I knew that he would be there.  But my supervisor said I had no choice and I had to go – so I went … and *sigh* as I feared, he was there.  I completely ignored him and was glued to my supervisors wife the whole time.  Still, that did not deter him.  Finally he came up to me and asked me to hold is car keys while he played volleyball – I thought “is he for real? does he really think that holding his keys will ensure that I stay?”  Well, he was partially right.  I held them – unwillingly and sat down next to his friend and watched him play for a bit.  I got bored and pissed off that he was “keeping” me there, so I decided to give his friend the keys and told his friend that I had to go – all the while his friend was grinning (little did I know that he and his friend had a bet between them as to who would get a date with me first.)  I started walking toward the dorm regardless of the 100+ degree heat in the middle of the day – that’s how bad I wanted to get away.  All of a sudden I hear a car behind me and it was him.  He rolled up next to me and asked “do you want a ride?”  I turned around and looked at him to tell him to leave me alone but the words wouldn’t come out.  Believe it or not, after all the fighting and denial, when I looked into his eyes, I was completely hooked.  Don’t ask me why or how, it just happened. 

That was a little more than 16 years ago.  We married very young and many thought that we wouldn’t make it.  We definitely had our ups and downs but we worked through them and it has made us stronger as a couple.  16 years and 3 kids later, he can still surprise me.  He knows me better than I know myself!  I never thought that a husband could become a best friend; I’m glad that I was wrong.  Despite our different temperaments, I think we are a perfect match.  I always claim that I am the Storm whereas he is the Calm.  I can’t imagine loving and being married to any one other than him.  He is the love of my life and today we celebrate 16 years.

Submitted by AB