Let’s do this.

I was spending a lot of my Tuesday nights at the Washington Street Pub for trivia with the Brasserie Brightwell gang, trying endlessly to defeat Jordan Foltz's team. I forget when exactly I saw him first, but can describe it flawlessly: tall, green sweatshirt, casually arriving at 9:15. If you know anything about Ryan - you know he's always late - because Pub trivia starts at 8. From then on every Tuesday, like clockwork, we kept winding up in the same room: My friends and I referred to him fondly as “cute bearded trivia guy". Then I started seeing that same green sweatshirt out on the weekends and around town. On Thanksgiving Eve I even swear we made our first actual eye contact from across the room - (gush) - it was love. He of course, denies this ever happened. After this romantic longing gaze I excitedly alerted my friend Louise of the "instant connection". By that point we had grown bored of the crowded bar and decided we change locations. “Yes, this place is the worst, lets go next door," I said loudly, sliding past him and his group of friends. We skipped down the block to the local trivia spot and settled in, only to turn around and see "cute bearded trivia guy" sitting with his friends at the booth behind them. This was it. He had definitely heard me. He was totally interested. Of course Louise was perfect in this situation, being just the push I needed to "shut up and make a move already". After a little encouragement and some crown royal liquid courage, I slapped a cryptic folded napkin note down in front of him, phone number scribbled inside. We ran away to the bathroom giggling like middle-schoolers. He must have caught a glimpse of me, or thought we were both cute (the logical thought) and was taking his chances, but he texted me the very next day. If we were ever on one of those "Cruise Ship Dating Games", I already know the answer to this question: Our first date was at Chili's, and Ryan spent 8 dollars plus tip.

So, the night before Thanksgiving has always been when all of my out of town friends come home for the holidays. It's Easton, so there are really only 3 places downtown to go. I remember being at what might be my least favorite hangout spot (hint: loud, very crowded, and not really my style) and I'm just trying to get next door where my friends and I can actually talk to each other at normal volumes. A few of us made our way next door and sat in a booth near the back to hang out. Looking back: I think it was our designated "reserved" trivia team booth. Justin Ryan was playing in the background, and I notice these two girls - that I've never met or seen before - continually glancing over at our table. I have no idea who these two are, and I'm already really deep in conversation with Jordan Foltz. Out of nowhere these giggling strangers walk over, slam down a napkin, and run off to the bathroom in the back. I look down at said napkin and see only "I challenge you" written across the front. Jordan says that I "should hold on to it regardless" and wait until they come back out. I don't know what girls do in the bathroom for so long, but before they come back out our friends are already hailing us back next door. We leave and I never see these two again that night. Honestly, I really couldn't remember what napkin-girl looked like, as everything happened so fast. The next morning I notice a phone number written INSIDE of said napkin. I send a text to the number, asking what this "challenge" is all about: some strange pokemon battle initiation? A dance off to Justin Ryan? It was thanksgiving and we were both with family for the day. I did some Facebook stalking, we texted back and forth for a few days, and finally set a time and place for our first "date": Chili's happy hour. I would pick her up in my Camaro. What a strange Easton address to be picked up from, a hair salon? I called, she's waiting out front, and I respond "you'll hear me before you see me..."