The Story of Cooper + Nina

So, we had to speak in church today. Again. Every time we move we can count on a speaking assignment. So far, we're on a pretty regular schedule: once every 6 months.

It's the pits.

I hate speaking in public. Hate. It. Which means that I picked the wrong major {public relations}. I should have gone with something like math. Or botany.

The thing is, I really don't mind writing my talk. It's the delivery that gets me: sweaty palms, butterflies {huge ones!} in my stomach, that horrible twitch in my left eye.

It's not pretty.

Anyway, the one good thing about always being the new couple is that I get to use our "how we met" story every time. And that takes up a good 5 minutes. 10 if I speak slowly. So, for your reading enjoyment, here it is: The Story of Cooper + Nina.

{There are 2 different versions of exactly when we first met, depending on who you ask. I like mine much better and since I'm Blogger-in-Chief, my version is first.}

"How Nina Met Cooper"
I remember the day I met Cooper very distinctly. I worked at the Events Office at the Harris Fine Arts Center at BYU. I usually worked in the day but stayed late one night to help with a performance. I was standing in the office when I turned and looked across the lobby. That's when I saw him: a very tall, very handsome young man in a house manager's jacket {cue Barry Manilow}. I remember thinking to myself, "Who is that? If he works here, I should know!"

And that was it. Pretty much love at first sight for me. I did some investigating around the office {ahem, not stalking} and found out his name was Cooper. Every now and then I would stay late at work so I could "accidentally" run into him. But that was it. I was too petrified to talk to him, he was way too cute.

Finally, after many, many, many late shifts at the office, he talked to me. He asked me on a date and the rest is...well, you know. Perfect.

"How Cooper Met Nina"
Nina claims it was love at first sight, but it seems she has forgotten the meaning of the word "first."

About a year before the first time she saw me, I was a new usher eager to get my free tickets to a performance. I went to the box office and chose to wait in the line with the hot girl {Nina} selling the tickets. When it was my turn, I explained that I was an usher and that I would like my free tix. She grabbed the binder, thumbed through it, stared me straight in the eye, and flatly declared, "you're not on the list."

I explained that I was new, so the binder probably hadn't been updated, and I promised this wasn't some scam to get into the performance for free. She "harrumphed" and went to the back to ask the boss. After a few minutes I heard her say, "Well what's the point of having a list if it's not going to be updated?!?" She came back to the window, printed out the tickets, and sent me on my way. Needless to say, I never requested my free tickets again after that.

Now, having been married to her for over three years, I can better understand her frustration that the list wasn't updated. As previously noted in this blog, she has a...what's the word...fascination with lists. Therefore, I can find comfort in the fact that her attitude came more from the status of the list and less from my scrawny appearance...I hope.

{Nina's Note: In my defense, I assume I was probably less than friendly because subconsciously I knew he was getting tickets to take out some girl. The hussy.}