Kezar field 6:30 PM. The first kickball game of the season, while it would not end in the much hoped for glory, it would become the infamous beginning of Jourtney. John, in his customary tank and Ray Bans sipping a PBR on a slightly chilly and most definitely not sunny evening. Courtney, standing in her athletic gear discussing the wild bears of northern Washington. While intrigued at first, their sophisticated level of dorkiness was not at this moment aligned. They chatted politely, discussing with absolutely no levels of vulgarity the varying flavors of beer in Wisconsin vs. Washington. After the game was over and defeat was set in stone, the team decided to nurse its wounds at a local watering hole. A truly fine establishment, the mud covered players moved to the back and picked up a conversation. It did not take long for boredom to set in for our two heroes. After several stifled yawns John noticed an idle foosball table against the back wall. Looking over to Courtney, he challenged the young lady to a friendly game. At this time John lacked an understanding for the vicious competitiveness that would reveal itself in his future partner. Because of this critical mistake and a combination of what we should all assume to be blind luck, Courtney won and so crushed a small part of his soul. John would have his vengeance, but that is a story for another time. As per the agreement, John bought Courtney the finest beverage on hand, a combination of whiskey and window washing fluid. After a few moments of talking, the rest of the world seemed to slip out of focus. Seconds became minutes, minutes became hours. After a pause in conversation, the two came to the realization that the rest of the team had left and neither had taken the slightest notice. Hours had passed while the two sat chatting about everything under the sun. They called it a night, John and Courtney went their separate ways, but while neither would admit it for some time, they were already hooked.

The plan had been set in motion. Fly down to San Diego, meet a couple of friends, listen to some music, and ask one of the most important questions of John's life. He had the girl. He had ring. He had the place. The perfect plan for the perfect girl. All that was left was the execution. Would it go down without a hitch, a proposal with every detail planned, practiced, and unfolding exactly as it should? Absolutely not. After a hours of Warriors, Dinosaurs, Gold Trans Ams, and Blah Blah Blah, the tired group of travelers made their way to their local accommodations. Courtney quickly fells asleep while the boys decided to stay up and chat. Upon her slumber, the friend requested to see the much anticipated gem. Holding it in his hand, he promptly erupted into a combination of intense elation and a sea of tears. His wife had a more refined reaction, but along similar lines. Unbeknownst to John, Courtney awoke from her sleeping beauty slumber to find a crying couple in the living room. Confused and angered by a lack of explanation, she returned to her room in what some might call a mild ire. The next morning over coffee at a local Einstein Bagels with John, she did not drop the subject. After several minutes of conversation and seeing that his plan was unfolding, John requested a carriage through his mobile message delivery system and the couple was off in a rush. A half hour later, the couple sat looking over the edge of the cliffs of La Jolla gazing out at the crystal blue sea. Before them towered the mighty Monterrey Cyprus, the towering Truffula, the lone Lorax tree of Scripps park. A favorite view of the acclaimed Dr. Seuss, it was a daily inspiration that led to some of his greatest literary creations. The same could be said for how John felt about Courtney and after a few moments of grumpiness, more tears, and the brightest smile he had ever seen, she said the single two best words he had ever heard. "I will".