Thursday, August 27, 2020

When We First Met

 

The Meeting

It seems only yesterday, I attended an employee summer picnic,

Only on the job for one week, twenty-three years young,

Having just moved 7 hours’ drive away from all of my immediate family,

No longer a resident of TN, but a (South) Carolina girl,

Barely settled into my new apartment, alone, on my own, for the first time,

Completed four years of college and yet very naive in life relationships,

From out of nowhere, a highly energetic, bright-eyed, blonde-headed young man appeared,

With the bluest eyes and the excitement of a child, he introduced himself,

He was an identical twin; unforgettable and very personable, but sarcastic,

Sarcastic in a way that was supposed to be funny, but came across kind of rude,

He was bubbling over with questions and truly interested in what the answers would be,

He was an in-your-face, not- much- personal- space kind of guy,

He got my attention like no one had ever done before; I wanted to get to know him more,

He was to be my future husband, the father of our three sons,

That was April 27, 1983 in McLeod Park picnic shelter, Florence, SC,

Fast forward, in the twinkle of an eye, 37 years went by,

There were good times; There were very difficult times;

In 2020, after 33 years of marriage and two years as a widow,

I have felt the loss of a companion, a husband, a provider, my Superman,

Believe me when I say: you don’t know what you’ve got, until it is gone!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  8/24/2020

Photo:  August 27, 2015

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