Edmontonians share their love stories about 'The One'
Radio Active listeners tell tales of falling in love over bugs, boots and Don Bell
What's a better way to pick up your spirits on a Monday than with a collection of stories guaranteed to warm your heart?
Radio Active host Portia Clark asked the show's listeners to share their stories about how they met their 'One.' As incentive, we offered up three pairs of tickets to see the broadway musical Once at the Jubilee Auditorium on Tuesday night.
Here are some of our favourites:
Matching birthmarks
From Amanda Natannah: I knew I found my other half when we matched our birthmarks on the very same spot of our forearm. We were both in bad relationships, swore we would never get into another one. Met up with each other by a miracle. We're now expecting a baby, getting married and plan on growing old together. Ladies, he's out there, be patient!
Don Bell plays matchmaker (accidentally)
From Richard Turner: I have to thank Don Bell for allowing me to meet my wife. Yes, that Don Bell. I was the captain of a Trivial Pursuit contest team in a bar in Morinville. Don was going to be on the team but he was sick or something so our mutual friend Bill invited Kathy to join our team. We played the game and won. We started dating and now we just celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary. We are still each other's trivial pursuit.
Skunks and all
From Carrie: My now husband never fails to remind me that the first time we met, he thought I had horrible body odour. The truth was, my home was infested with skunks and all of my jackets and clothing stank even if I thought I didn't.
I will be forever grateful he was able to overlook that and ask me out. We have been together ever since. Married 18 years yesterday- skunks and all.
Mom the matchmaker
From Betty Thomson: I bought and moved into a house as a single woman, having just moved to Edmonton to take over the music program at MacEwan. I was planting tulips and daffodils one afternoon when an older neighbour lady across the street commented on it and invited me over for for tea. I went over for tea a couple of times after that when she offered me her symphony tickets for an upcoming concert and said that her "bachelor son" loves music and he could go, too. That was 17 years ago. Since then, we have been to many concerts and married 14 years. He passed away this past June and I often think of how we met, through his Mom, the matchmaker for the boy next door.
Happy hitchhiker
From Brenda Fisher: Once upon a time... I was hitch hiking across Newfoundland with a friend. He was driving, picked us up — happily married for 38 years! Still have the friend as well.
Cool boots
From Peggy Lee: I saw him and his "cool" cowboy boots on the first day of my second year of university. Managed to sit behind him and thus got placed in the same study group. That was 46 years ago. We'll happily celebrate our 40th this coming summer.
He bugged me
From Catherine Douglas: I knew he was the one because he took me up to Burnaby Mountain to collect bugs for his entomology course. All the other boys took their girlfriends there to make out!!! Still married to him over 32 years later!
Drunk aerobics for the win
From Lynsae: I met the one at a party just after swearing off dating. I'd also just completed training to be a group fitness instructor and decided to lead a group aerobics. I was possibly the only sober one. My now spouse was the most enthusiastic of all the happy participants. Drunk aerobics for the win!
Sad in Starbucks
From Anne Hayes: I was busy coping with my newly-broken heart after a break up (via Blackberry messenger), crying in Starbucks to any of my friends who would listen. My one friend suggested I meet her ex brother-in-law who was separated from his long-time marriage who was heartbroken too. I was too busy wallowing in sadness. So she tried again the next week. And I agreed. We met and have been together since - going on 5 years! Keep in mind, this is my friend's ex brother-in-law. As in her sister's ex-husband! Guess she knows what is best for him!
'I'm going to marry her'
From Chris: My wife and I were set up at a party at the university campus. She was from the same small town where I was born. We talked and I realized we had very similar values. By the end of the evening I thought To myself 'I'm going to marry her.' Dated for two years just to be sure. That was 24 years ago. Happily married with 2 teenage boys.
The redhead was the one
From Bill Gaudette: My voyage to find the love of my life started across the country. I had come to Alberta to attend graduate school. As it turned out, the family I was boarding with had friends over shortly after I moved in. Included in that family were 3 daughters, including a redhead. From first sight I knew she was the one. We married about a year later and this July celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary. We have lived in various parts of Canada...enjoyed a great life together. 8 children, 17 grandchildren later and she is still the love of my life!
The long game
From R: I met my wife and proposed. It took 2 years for her to say yes but it was well worth the wait! Going 20 years strong now!
Two stepping into love
From Darcy Kauffman: I met my wife at a friends birthday party at a bar. She told me I wooed her with my two stepping skills and I told her she wooed me with her beautiful smile. Three years later, I took her breath away by asking her to marry me on a stage at the Fringe. Now we have an awesome 18-month-old that always bring joy to our lives.
The One in a different way
From a romantic who wished to remain anonymous: We met in a rundown pizza shack after a night of shenanigans. I remember thinking he was hilarious and I had to get his name. We added each other on Facebook but that was it. Fast forward five years later. He was the one for me, and I for him. We hardly argued and we travelled the world together. But we wanted different things and decided it was best to separate. It's been years since we've broken up, and we still laugh, smile and travel the world together. Just because the One doesn't work out in the way you anticipated doesn't mean they cant be The One in a different way. He's still my best friend, regardless.
Have a love story you want to share? Put it into the comments below, or send it to Radio Active: