It wasn't until the following February that "things" quieted down...so I called Denise and asked her about coming to visit the radio station (heh heh) and grabbing a bite to eat. She showed up while I was still on the air. Judging by the look on her face, she wasn't impressed. I later found out that she never listened to this station. (Holy different frequency, Batman!!!)
She was dressed in her corporate attire, and looked like the successful woman she was. Me? Well I was wearing the typical morning-guy radio uniform: sweater and jeans. And I was fairly confident that both were clean.
Now the challenge was to find a place to eat on a cold, miserable Philadelphia morning. Denny's was close to the station. It was actually easier to walk than get in the car, drive across the street and find a parking spot. There was a walkway that went over the street connecting the radio station to the Denny's. BUT...the walkway was covered in ice. Denise was wearing high heels. We started the walk. She was having trouble with those sexy black pumps. I put my hand out to help. She gave me a thank you smile. We were holding hands....in a sort-a-kind-a way.
Breakfast conversation was nice, but uneventful. Lots of small talk. I did my best not to crack any off-color jokes, or tell college stories that involved drinking and vomiting. Denise never lost her corporate cool and composure. In fact, I was feeling this 10 dollar breakfast was NOT going to turn into a sizzling romance. It looked like I was going to gain a friend instead of a GIRLfriend. Yippee!(insert sarcasm here) BUT....having a friend who was a girl was a new concept. Kind of like New Coke.....but better.
When breakfast was over, Denise and I headed back to the station. We held hands again as we crossed the treacherous iced-covered path of DANGER!!! We parted ways... with A HANDSHAKE! Seriously. A handshake. And she was wearing gloves.
No hug. No kiss. Not even a high five or belly-bump. But maybe I didn't get a kiss because the breakfast at Denny's wasn't really a date.
My mind was made up. I was going to wait a few days and officially ask her out. A real date. No hand shakes!!!!!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Have we met before?
If this was a movie, I would have called Denise the following Monday and asked her out for a date. But it wasn't a movie, it was real life. And if this was a movie, my part would be played by the funny, chubby and un-sexy Canadian Seth Rogen.
I was already dating a hot, sexy nurse named Debbie...while seeing a cocktail waitress named Robin. Don't be impressed. Being on the radio in my hometown was a boom to my social/dating life. I was not a good-looking guy, and didn't have a pile of money to impress women. But being on the radio....HOLY COW...what a dating tool!!!! The uber-impressive technique was to invite a potential date up to the radio station, and say "Hi" to her on the air. You may be thinking that it was a cheesy move....but it was a hugely successful cheesy move!
Denise also wasn't staying at home waiting for the phone to ring. She was just starting to get involved with an older guy( in his 30's!!!!) who was in the nightclub business, AND an assistant football coach at a local college. Luckily, neither panned out. The club owner was secretly married, and the football coach only wanted to watch games on TV.
The "Thanks for including me at the Bon Jovi event" phone call was made the following week. I told Denise how much fun I had that night. I left out the food poisoning part. We made some small talk and realized some interesting facts :
a) We both attended and graduated from Temple University at the same time!
b) We ate at the same food trucks on campus!
c) We got our morning coffee at the same place every day!
d) We were both friends with a couple named "Lee and Susan"!
It was kind of weird. Denise and I must have been a few feet away from each other numerous times on campus for years...but never made eye contact.
When our phone conversation came to it's natural ending....I suggested we get together for a drink, or a quick bite. Maybe she could come up to see the radio station ( heh heh).
But real life doesn't happen quickly. Our first date was about 4 months away.
I was already dating a hot, sexy nurse named Debbie...while seeing a cocktail waitress named Robin. Don't be impressed. Being on the radio in my hometown was a boom to my social/dating life. I was not a good-looking guy, and didn't have a pile of money to impress women. But being on the radio....HOLY COW...what a dating tool!!!! The uber-impressive technique was to invite a potential date up to the radio station, and say "Hi" to her on the air. You may be thinking that it was a cheesy move....but it was a hugely successful cheesy move!
Denise also wasn't staying at home waiting for the phone to ring. She was just starting to get involved with an older guy( in his 30's!!!!) who was in the nightclub business, AND an assistant football coach at a local college. Luckily, neither panned out. The club owner was secretly married, and the football coach only wanted to watch games on TV.
The "Thanks for including me at the Bon Jovi event" phone call was made the following week. I told Denise how much fun I had that night. I left out the food poisoning part. We made some small talk and realized some interesting facts :
a) We both attended and graduated from Temple University at the same time!
b) We ate at the same food trucks on campus!
c) We got our morning coffee at the same place every day!
d) We were both friends with a couple named "Lee and Susan"!
It was kind of weird. Denise and I must have been a few feet away from each other numerous times on campus for years...but never made eye contact.
When our phone conversation came to it's natural ending....I suggested we get together for a drink, or a quick bite. Maybe she could come up to see the radio station ( heh heh).
But real life doesn't happen quickly. Our first date was about 4 months away.
Friday, June 4, 2010
I didn't know I met my future wife, but I did meet Bon Jovi!!!
I met Denise in 1987. She was working for a non-profit organization that helped handicapped children in Philadelphia. The Variety Club decided to hold a dance party fundraiser at the Philadelphia Civic Center. It attracted thousands of kids.....not because they wanted to dance on that Saturday in October...but because the special guests were rockers Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of the band Bon Jovi. Their smash album Slippery When Wet was just released. The Variety Club timed it perfectly! A fundrasing tsunami. The promotions and marketing director for the charity had her hands full with VIP's, sponsors, screaming kids, limos and board members. Oh...and there was this dorky radio DJ standing there ready to say," Hello".
The radio station sent me to host the event....not because I was popular or talented (no to both), but because I was a) available on that particular Saturday b) went to events for free c) knew there would be plenty of complementary food AND d) any radio station event could lead to meeting women. Oddly enough, I met Denise's mom first. She was roped into helping my future wife keep track of all the moving parts in an event that big. Her mom was a real sweetheart. I asked her," Who was in charge?". Dee pointed to a sexy blonde in a silver outfit holding a clipboard in her right hand, and sporting a "I'm super busy" look on her face. Actually, I think I just said "Hi, I'm Sam from the radio station". Denise pointed me towards the backstage area with the free food. She must have been a psychic!
And that was it. Our first meeting was a simple hello backstage at a Bon Jovi event in Philly. I should tell you that Jon and Richie lit up the crowd with their appearance on stage. The Variety Club charity raised money and awareness to their cause.....and I got the nastiest case of food poisoning from the backstage spread of corned beef and pastrami. That's right.....the night I met my future wife was spent curled up on the floor of my bathroom hurling!
The radio station sent me to host the event....not because I was popular or talented (no to both), but because I was a) available on that particular Saturday b) went to events for free c) knew there would be plenty of complementary food AND d) any radio station event could lead to meeting women. Oddly enough, I met Denise's mom first. She was roped into helping my future wife keep track of all the moving parts in an event that big. Her mom was a real sweetheart. I asked her," Who was in charge?". Dee pointed to a sexy blonde in a silver outfit holding a clipboard in her right hand, and sporting a "I'm super busy" look on her face. Actually, I think I just said "Hi, I'm Sam from the radio station". Denise pointed me towards the backstage area with the free food. She must have been a psychic!
And that was it. Our first meeting was a simple hello backstage at a Bon Jovi event in Philly. I should tell you that Jon and Richie lit up the crowd with their appearance on stage. The Variety Club charity raised money and awareness to their cause.....and I got the nastiest case of food poisoning from the backstage spread of corned beef and pastrami. That's right.....the night I met my future wife was spent curled up on the floor of my bathroom hurling!
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