Jconn Photography

~October 1996~

I blew the bangs out of my eyes and peered over the high stainless steel counter of the soda bar. It was hour before closing and there was only two parties in the restaurant. One of which had ordered 5-scoop sundaes all around. I sighed as I heard the doorbell indicating another customer had walked in. With my luck it was probably a late night regular who just wanted a coffee and would leave a $.25 tip. I kept scooping, feeling the the raw cold on the inside of my forearm pressing against the ice that was always built up around the cooler edge. I dipped my last scoop into the glass sundae bowl and turned. I double checked the order to make sure I was adding the right toppings and as I did I saw that the customer who had come in moments before was still waiting at the hostess podium. I glanced down at my uniform covered in fudge and sighed again. Fifty-five more minutes.

I lifted the tray of sundaes and carried them towards the hostess podium, as I hefted the tray a little higher I told the waiting customer I’d be right with him. He smiled out of the corner of his mouth and said ‘no rush’. The way he said it and the look on his face sent a flush to my cheeks. My fair skin betrayed me, and his smirk grew. I continued on, thinking I would seat him once his girlfriend arrived. After returning my tray to the kitchen I saw that the other waitress, Deb, had seated the customer in her section and was filling a glass with Coke. I nudged her and asked if his girlfriend had showed up. “Nope, he’s by himself and all he wants is a Coke.”

I returned to my station behind the soda fountain and watched him through piles of clean dinner plates. He looked about my age, with thick dark brown hair and a strong face. His sharp jawline flexed as he drank from his soda and stared at the table. Lonely, I thought. And sad. I called the other waitress over and told her to go offer him a sundae, on me. I watched as she headed over, her hands gestured and she turned and pointed at me. I ducked behind the dinner plates and peeked up again to see him shake his head. Deb headed back towards me and told me he said he was all set. All set? I thought, what the hell? I offered him a sundae and he says he’s “all set”?

As I began to wipe down the counters in preparation for closing I kept watching him. After a few minutes I headed over to his table myself. Right when I walked onto his aisle he looked up, straight into my eyes. And that’s when my stomach did that thing.  That thing that feels like you just took a nosedive down a roller coaster. I felt the flush creeping up my neck and tried to hide it with a smile. I asked him why he’d refused my sundae offer and he said he just didn’t want ice cream. But now that I was there he said maybe I should make him my favorite and bring it out. I said something bumbling and went to make his ice cream. After he’d finished the sundae and prepared to leave I went back over. The details of the conversation are a complete blur to me and I only remember asking for his phone number. He wrote it on my order pad and asked if he could call me. I told him he could reach me at the restaurant on my next shift. With shaking hands I took the paper from him and smiled. Actually, I tried to stop smiling, that dorky grin had been plastered on my face and my cheeks were starting to hurt.

He gathered his jacket and thanked me for the sundae and walked out the door. I watched him through the glass, his left shoulder dipped as he walked and he took long strides towards his car. The moment I knew he was in his car I turned on my heel and sprinted to the phone. I ripped his number out of my pocket and dialed. I tried to collect myself and breath steady when I heard a woman answer the phone. I asked for him by his full name and, of course, was told he wasn’t home. I asked if she could tell him Jessica called and she promised she would. As I placed the phone back on the received I looked at my friend Deb who stood laughing at the soda fountain. “Smooth” she said before she made some comment about young love and walked away.

It has been almost 16 years since that night. The night that taught me love at first sight really does exist. We have been together for almost 16 years, having announced ourselves ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’ on our second date, four days following the day we met and married 6 years later.

Happy Valentine’s Day my love. Here’s to many more.

P.S. – Those photo booth pictures are from the first year we met. Look how young we were!!!!