The date that ended all other dates

Yesterday was the 18th anniversary of my first date with my wife, so I thought it a good time to remember that fateful day. A few days earlier at work a cute girl had come in with her mother shopping. At the prodding of her mother she asked me out for the following Saturday, and with that, fate had been set in motion. Due to the little we knew of each other, we decided to both bring a friend to make it a little more comfortable. We met up in a central location, and then went all together in one car. We parked across the street and then walked to the Salt Palace (see how long ago this was, back before it was the convention center, goodness I am getting old!). We were there to attend a very special event, the travelling version of American Gladiators! That old TV show was so good they made a new version a couple of years ago, and they hardly ever do that with old TV shows. I haven't seen any remakes of the A-Team! What's that? There is a new movie coming out? Oh. What about Knight Rider, that was classic. That too? Dukes of Hazzard? Bewitched? Never mind, there is no originality left in the media. Back to my story, we attended this holy event, I really don't remember much of it. I know they had local people competing including some local frat boys. I do remember liking my date, and that our friends were far from hitting it off. So after the show we ditched them and continued on together. We must have eaten something, I'm sure my wife could tell you what and where. I should have done a fact check with her before I wrote it, but where is the fun in that, much better to have things as I remember them. After dinner we went back to her house and I met her parents. J seemed quite conservative (read LDS) to me so I was quite happy to see her dad drinking beer when we met. Not that at 19 I drank beer, because that would have been against the law (just in case my boys ever read this). It went well, of course it did, parents always loved me. I know we ended up watching Saturday Night Live, and I think I got lucky too. Okay not really, there was no way that was happening. I can't even remember if I got a kiss, but if I did that was waaaayyy out of character for J, and probably was me taking one. She was/is much more sweet and innocent than I have ever been. After that I went on one date with another girl and that was the end of it, there was no comparison. What started as an all-day date, ended up being an all-life date. I couldn't be any happier or luckier for that. So I write this to commemorate the last eighteen years with the love of my life my wife. And a big thank you to my mother-in-law for picking up on me for her shy daughter and forcing her to ask me out. I will always have a fond place in my heart for those American Gladiators.