Brook and Harrison met the “new-fashioned” way. In the blistering cold of New York City, January 2015, Brook Chang sat in her bleak Midtown apartment skeptically swiping through a highly curated catalog of profiles, courtesy of internet matchmaker, OkCupid. To this bright and ambitious young business woman her listless survey of potential suitors seemed doomed to cheesy one-liners and a sore thumb from the repetitive palmar abduction of swiping left, that is until a striking pair of tortoise colored glasses, perched upon a dashing, ethnically ambiguous face, caught her attention. “Hey, nice glasses, “ she sent out into the ether. Harrison, a fresh transplant from California pursuing a degree in nursing, quickly responded making sure not to lose the opportunity to chat with the gorgeous girl that showed an appreciation in quality men’s eyewear. “Hey, thanks,” was his clever rejoinder. Obviously impressed by his way with words, a conversation was struck, and after a playful repartee of witticisms, deft emoji usage, and thorough background check, a date was set. What followed is a story as old as time: boy meets girl… well, boy waits in the snow outside the bar while girl gets a pep talk from one of her best friends, loses track of time and shows up 30 minutes late to the date… then boy meets girl. Brook, normally a confident ball of energy and unfazed by the braggadocious swagger of the typical New Yorker, was uncharacteristically nervous talking to the unassuming Californian who was still trying to regain feeling in his frozen fingertips. There was just something about him that set off butterflies in her stomach… Harrison, normally as close to legally mute as one can be, was also in novel form that night, leading conversation, brashly assuming Brook was from Hawaii, and staying out way past his bedtime. There was just something about her that put him at ease…

Over three hours passed in the dimly lit bar, though to the two it seemed more like three minutes. Completely entranced by one another, immune to the cacophony of the bar and eventually the street corner where they were to part ways, an overwhelming sense of impending regret set into Harrison if he were not able to see Brook again. So on a night marked by upended character traits, Harrison admitted as much, leaned in for the kiss on the corner of 34th & 3rd, and Brook, externally poised though jubilant within, met him halfway. Much like that first night, it has been the harmonious fusion of their differences and the influence of their personalities on one another that have shaped the relationship. Three years later on the night of their anniversary, on the corner of 34th and 3rd, after countless meals cooked together, new jobs attained, and unforgettable travels embarked upon, Harrison got down on his knee, explained the regret he would have if he didn’t spend the rest of his life with Brook, and proposed. Cue thunderous applause from the city-goers crossing the intersection, and sirens from the ambulance on the corner! -Periphrastic prose penned in the 3rd person by Harrison -Eye rolls over his shoulder by Brook -Vocabulary & synonyms courtesy of Dictionary.com -Glasses/first impression by Warby Parker (looking for wedding sponsorships…)