Late night at work. Slave driving as usual at Wal-Mart. Then, like a unicorn appearing from the fog, she appeared. I'll never forget it. A smile that would make a goddess jealous and god abdicate their immortality just for another glimpse. French braided hair. Nice black flats with a white and black skirt, covered with a fitted sweater. Classy and beautiful like a double edged blade with an ornate, exotic handle. I burned that image into my memory so I would always remember her. I would see her from time to time, but only with what seemed like forever in between. I never talked to her. But I was timid at the time lacking the confidence to approach. Until, one day in the break room... Who would have considered that while on lunch in the break room, two people would find forever? An intriguing conversation amongst co-workers was the beginning of a relationship between a recent high school graduate and a college student returning to work between semesters.

I often think back on the first time we locked eyes. I had just finished closing the jewelry department and was hauling cardboard to the unloading area for recycling. I remember his eyes...they peeked out from under the bandana on his brow and spoke with an intriguing fierceness. I saw how his work pace slowed and his eyes narrowed as I passed. I laughed with the other unloaders, updating them on the happenings of my college semester and became worried that our camaraderie was upsetting Richard, the supervisor. My interest piqued. He was so dark and yet there was a light in his eyes that only I could see; he was a mystery. I heard his voice for the first time that moment at the lunch table. It was soft and thunderous and when he spoke, his words resonated in my memory. I remember him later standing on the other side of the jewelry counter, asking why I gave him my phone number twice (I assure you, this was not the case...) he had a confident smirk that, to this very day, makes me blush. I cherished every moment spent together over that Spring break at Walmart, fearing that the distance of 400 miles and 4 months would bring it all to an end. Yet, those months and miles were filled with phone calls and the soothing sound of his voice. I counted down the hours between each class and our telephone “dates”. Little did we know that each phone call was the breeze upon which our wings would soar.