It's Got Four Wheels and a Stopper on the Toe

I was only a child when my best friend Michelle got married. 17 and a bridesmaid for the first time. As the big day neared, Michelle and her Looks-A-Lot-Like-Tom-Cruise fiancee decided that both sides of the wedding party needed to meet. So we took a spin.

Around the roller rink!
Monday nights we all made a regular habit of crashing the Aquarius Roll-a-rena for Christian Skate Night. We grooved the lanes to dc talk, Petra and did the chicken dance once a week.

When I was introduced to the guys on Andy's side of the aisle, they all were good looking. A couple of brothers and friends. One in particular I was told to pay extra attention to. We would be walking together down the aisle and, if I didn't screw this up, maybe one day he and I would be walking down the aisle! (Although my heart was strongly tied to someone else, I decided to give this whole thing a try. Go for a swim in uncharted waters, if you will.)

We all met in La Mesa and hellos were exchanged and although it wasn't love at first sight, this guy was the only one who wasn't taken or who was available. Everyone else was out of my league, age range, dating someone or married. He was nice, good looking, tall and funny. We all hung out that night at Aquarius and had a lot of fun.

It wasn't too long after our first meeting that the happy couple decided to set us up on a double date. Well, they had set us up by having us walk together but this time we were actually going out on a date.

He came and picked me up at my house and I was excited. I wasn't excited with the way my father was questioning this guy. "Where are you going? When will you be back? What are your prospects?" It was mortifying. We got out of there as soon as we could.

It was such a fun evening. Possibly one of the most fun of my life. We went to Coronado where they were playing "Sleepless in Seattle" out on the beach. Afterwards, we went for a walk and ended up running around the Hotel Del Coronado, opening doors we shouldn't go in, smelling the Dial Gold soap in the bathrooms and laughing-a lot.

I was home at a decent hour-he was a good boy-and I was so happy to have shared such a fun evening with my best friend.

We never really lost touch, my date and I. I saw him in a tuxedo the day of my wedding. He looked so happy and still as handsome as that first day I met him. I remember at the wedding reception he smiled at me and in front of over 200 guests, he told me that he was so happy I was marrying his best friend.


Part Two, continued tomorrow..........