The Legend of the Lost Cell Phone

Since I spent several days writing and rewriting the story of how we met, I thought I post it here before it goes live on our website. Sorry it's sooo long, but fate seriously intervened for us to be together. :o)

Here it is!

On the eve of moving to DC for a three month work assignment, my girlfriends and I decided to spend a fun night on the town and celebrate my last night out. That chilly January night took us to one of favorite places on Newport Peninsula, Woody's Wharf. We stood in line huddled together but Melissa could see inside from our pack, she spotted a cute guy and said, "Ooo, I'm going to talk to that guy!" I strained my neck to see who she was talking about, after a quick inspection I quipped, "Not if I talk to him first!"

After enduring the Southern California cold (I mean it was 55 degrees out!) we were inside, laughing and carrying on to the music. Melissa and I noticed the same cute guy from before with a group of friends on the edge of the dance floor. I then decided I was incredibly thirsty and abruptly walked over to the bar and stood right next to him. This is the moment I was going to meet cute guy, or so I thought. I casually turned toward him and opened my mouth to say hello just as he spun around and walked away.

I returned to my girls and eventually we ventured out to the screened patio lined with heat lamps, remember it was cold! An hour later I was chatting with a new friend when out of nowhere I was nearly knocked over. My drink went flying as the hockey hip check hurled me 3 feet forward. I regained my composure and spun around to see the cute guy from earlier. With a half smile on my face I looked at him and said, "Hey buddy, there's enough room under the heat lamp for everyone." He flashed his gorgeous smile and smartly replied, "So sorry, I just get a little territorial sometimes." That witty remark was all I needed to introduce myself and start a conversation with Dan that lasted the rest of the night.

At some point he asked for my phone number. I warned him that I would be on the East Coast for the next three months. At this he only said, "Well, you still get cell service there, right?" As he put my number in his phone they were ushering us out for closing time. I noticed that Dan's friends had abandoned him and as the designated driver I offered to drive him home. This was the ride that almost kept us apart forever.

The next day I finished packing and rushed off to LAX. After dropping my car off at the long term lot, I swooped into the terminal to find that my flight had been cancelled. I spoke with an agent and I was rebooked, but my new flight didn't leave for 8 more hours. Rather then wait it out in LAX, I trekked back to my car, jumped on the freeway when then I heard a strange ringing emanating from my little car. I pulled over and after some searching found a phone under the passenger's seat, a phone that belonged to one cute guy I drove home last night.

I returned the number who kept calling the phone and reached Dan. I agreed to drop deliver it to him in person since my original travel plans were bust. We spent the next 6 hours watching TV, laughing and getting to know each other. By the time I had to return to the airport, I was sad to leave California. During the three months I was DC, Dan and I talked nearly every night and he patiently awaited my return to California in May.

So, thank you United for cancelling that flight to DC in late January of 2007, otherwise I may have never found Dan's phone in my car and just have missed out on the love of my life.