An anniversary to remember

Today, October 24th, is an anniversary for Bob and I. Not our wedding anniversary, but actually the first "anniversary" we ever celebrated. The anniversary of our first date. Yes, after all these years, we do remember it. Thirty-two years ago, October 24th, 1974, Bob and I went out on our first date. And yes, I can remember it "like it was yesterday." We were freshman at Rutgers University. He was an electrical engineering major at the College of Engineering and I was in elementary education, soon to be a psychology major at Rutgers College, after making a change later that year. We actually first met in September, just after we started college. The ever sociable Bob jumped right into the dating scene at college and asked out a fellow engineering student who happened to live in the suite across the hall from me. Rutgers University was a very liberal college for the 70's. I lived in the only all-female dorm on campus. The rest were all coed, including the dorm Bob lived in. Well, the girl Bob asked out was becoming my friend. And as nice as she was, she wasn't into making a commitment to one guy. Not the first month into her college life. She thought Bob was a great guy. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she wanted to date around. (And date around she did.) After telling Bob how she felt, she came to me with her dilemma (and an idea, as I found out quickly.) She really wanted to find a girl for Bob. (Like he couldn't find one himself!) I immediately thought of my engineering roommate Diane. Maybe Bob would want to date her. "No," my friend said, "He wants to date you." "Me?" I asked. I hadn't thought of me. Why would he want to date me? We seemed so different. We probably wouldn't have hung out in the same circle of friends in high school. He was the ultimate jock, captain of the football team. Cheerleaders seemed his type. I was definitely not that. Last time I tried out for cheerleading was seventh grade. Didn't make it. Couldn't do the cartwheels very well. No, I was more the "hippie" type. I hung out with the non-conformists. We listened to James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. Bob was into Led Zeppelin and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. So I really didn't think I was what he was looking for in a girlfriend. But oh, I thought he was handsome! So why not? What did I know? Well, we went to the Rutgers Student Center to see a movie, "Jesus Christ Superstar." (Who knew that Christianity would play such an enormous role in our relationship after we were married?) I remember sitting next to him in the theater, barely focusing on the movie. I'm not sure I could tell you anything about that movie today. After the movie, Bob walked me back to my dorm, and...our first date ended with a kiss. In the stairwell of Hegeman Hall on the Rutgers campus. We dated for the next four years of college, and married two days after graduation in 1978. So on this October 24th, 2006, I want to say to my husband of 28 years, thank you for the last 32 years of a wonderful life. We've had our share of ups and downs on the "roller coaster" of life, but I'm really glad you are still my riding partner. Thanks for being there for me to hold on to. You know how I hate rollercoasters! Happy anniversary Bob!