In February I got sick. I felt horrible. I didn't feel like crap. I felt like the way crap would be after sitting in a damp environment with repeated sun exposure after a couple of weeks... and maybe the occasional rain. It was evening. I was watching TV through dry eyes, and the phone rang. It was my sister. She and I talk a lot, but I was in no mood for conversation, so I didn't answer. Five minutes later, she called back. I didn't answer. Three minutes later, she called back. All sorts of things ran through my mind regarding possible issues with her, her kids, or our parents. Ultimately, I was in no condition to adequately respond to any of those, so I didn't answer. Four minutes later, my cellphone rang. I didn't answer. However, that time I texted her that I was sick and not in the right mind set to talk. I'd talk to her the next day. She immediately called back. I didn't answer. Note that she did not leave a message regarding the urgency.

I got up the next morning, a Monday, and started a dreary trip to the lab. It was sunny, which is unusual for a February morning here, so even though I was sick, I was actually more on the chipper side of dreary. I had just passed the Saratoga library, which is the first place beyond which I can have a relatively stable cellphone signal, and the phone rang. It was my sister.

Everyone in the family was fine, but she started the conversation with those horrible words, "I did something, and I don't want you to be upset with me." Oh crap. Was this about her or me? Knowing her, it was probably about me. I was hoping that she just wanted to confess to someone that she went to a bar, drank a bunch of tequila shots, jumped on a table, danced and flashed her boobs, and threw up on the spectators. However, my sister would never go to a bar, would not do shots, would not flash her body, and would probably run five miles before she would allow herself to vomit with witnesses. I knew it was something else.

No. She did something worse. She was at a regional meeting for the Missouri National Education Association, and she felt compelled to say the following to a lady: You... should... meet... my... brother... In a movie, that entire line would have to be given in slow motion with all the audio manipulation that makes it sound like death is around the corner. I have made it clear to friends that I do not want to be 'set up.' Not because I don't trust them, necessarily (and I trust very few), but because if it doesn't go well, the Setter-Upper takes it personally. Then I am a jackass. I can be a jackass without help, thank you very much.

I think it was then that I asked the quintessential question: "Um, where does she live?" Yup. She lives in Missouri... 2,000 miles away. I think I have tried this. It can't work, can it!?

I told her that it was ok. No harm done. She told me wonderful stories about the lady. Virtually none of which made me make sense of why she would do this. The only one that made sense was the one that happened after she had made the suggestion to the lady. This lady, this Holly, stood up from her chair and put her jacket on. It was a Harley jacket. My sister asked Holly if she rode a Harley, and Holly replied (probably with some defiance - knowing Holly), "yes." My sister just looked smug. She replied, "my brother rides a Harley."

A couple conversations had transpired regarding why Holly should talk to me, but Holly never really intended to pursue it. Like me, she had been through enough relationships, and was finished. Finito. Fini. Put-a-fork-in-it. It's done. Before they left, my sister pulled out a card and wrote something down. Holly figured it was a number, a work thing, anything but what it was: my blog page address.

In defiance of nature, Holly decided to read my rantings. Probably against her better judgment, she wrote my sister that she would like to be introduced to me. My sister called me (I answered this time) and told me as much. I was a little concerned. I reminded my sister that I am a little right of center politically, and that this person was a contact through the teachers' union, which is predominantly considered liberal. She responded, "I know! But she read your blog and one of the first things on there was your feeling on gun control! And yet, she still wants to meet you!"

Perplexed, I sent Holly an introductory e-mail. The next thing you know, we are talking on the phone. We went through countless stories on each other, and came to that particular point in a relationship. The kind of point that you can not understand if you have not been in a long-distance relationship. We had to meet in person. On impulse, we booked a flight for her to come to California. Her family went ballistic. The biggest concern was that I might kidnap her, and she balked. She canceled the trip... Until the day before she was scheduled to fly.

We had a great weekend together. I think we knew then that this was the right thing to do. My sister thinks that there was some divine intervention on the whole thing. I don't believe in that sort of thing, but I can not deny that this is incredible. We spent so much time on the phone, texting, and e-mail that we had already learned more about each other than most people do after a year of dating locally. Annie had a volleyball tournament in Reno in the spring, and suggested that Holly should come out and join us. Holly got time off from school, and did! Most of the drive to Reno, she and Annie talked about I don't know what... I was paying attention to the road. At one point, Holly moved to the front seat, and they were both texting like mad. I asked who was texting. They were texting each other... front seat to back seat... They both started laughing hysterically.

In May I was slated to fly out to Missouri and spend a few days with her and her boys. I spent the first day moving from classroom to classroom talking about technology. However, I had walked in to a jeweler a week before. I had a picture of the ring I wanted. They could get it, but I was looking at what they had to offer. I found one I liked even better. It had leaves on it with diamonds in the petals. That's what I wanted. I picked a diamond and they put it together. I know the people, and while the wife and I were talking, her husband surprised me by interrupting other work to get everything done. Good people. I walked out with the ring. Now, back to the school visit.

I had ideas about when I wanted to propose. None of them seemed to be good. I was afraid she would say no. I was afraid I would distract her from work. Around lunch time, there was some drama in the school. She was very frustrated and stressed. Students had left the room. I held her hands and told her that I hoped it would all be alright. I told her how much I admired her... how important she was... then I dropped to my knee. She said yes!

The boys and I had a blast working around the house. We fixed the garage door, I taught them how to replace electrical sockets, and generally played around. Some bodily functions may have come to play when Holly was not around. Safe to say, we got along famously.

So, here we are. The boys and Holly have come out to visit. We have played and worked together. We know what we have in front of us. We just have to make it happen. I think we have each finally found the right connection.

Now, we just need the court to agree.
Am I supposed to be this happy?