13 is the magic number......

It is 6:00 pm and John should have been here any minute. I am so excited. I just turned twenty-two, and he is taking me out to celebrate my birthday. A birthday and a new and more importantly, special boyfriend, what could be better? Of course I had been ready for a half hour, I am just waiting for my date!

It's 6:45 pm, and the phone rings. It's John telling me he is a little late (do you think?) and he will be there soon. Oh well, I am still excited and can wait. Good things are worth waiting for, right?

It's 8:00 pm and still no John. Oh wait here goes the phone again. This time there was a small snafu and he's on his way. I am a little nervous (and a bit annoyed) by this time, but I will take his word for it. Fifteen minutes later, John arrives dawning roses. We are on our way.

He picked out the restaurant. I have never been there. It is a few towns away. We pull up. It looks nearly empty. Perhaps its because it is a week night? We go inside. It is a quaint place - a converted quarry mill. To my dismay they stopped seating patrons at 8:45. It is 8:55.

While I am sure P.J. was a bit embarrassed, I am still happy to be out with him on my birthday. Really the best part of that year, for me, is him. Though this may sound crazy, I never thought I would meet someone as special.

I thought of another restaurant near by that was still open, and we had a nice meal. Was it a nice meal or just wonderful company? I think the latter is more fitting. Regardless it was an awesome birthday even though it didn't start out the way we intended. His original plan was thwarted for reasons that I am still not aware. However, I now know that time easily gets away from him and procrastination is his middle name. Though now I can control it or at least try.

Fast forward thirteen years - yes 13! We are now married. We just celebrated my 14th birthday together. Though our plans did not work out 13 years ago, John had a plan this year. Thirteen years later, John took me back to that same restaurant. However, this year he was on time (or should I say, WE were on time!) We went back to that quaint restaurant. We had a wonderful time. So much as changed in thirteen years, yet so much is still the same. He was my special present 13 years ago and he still is!