The Dirty Dozen

1997...Ah love!

Well late again! I meant to post on Monday, the 13th about how it was our 12 year anniversary. Sabrina is now 0-2 for gifts having blown us off on Fathers's Day and now this. We'll just add it to her tab...

I wasn't going to do this, but because some have asked, here's the scoop on how we met. (Skip this if you're allergic to dairy, specifically cheese...) In 1996 I was working for PETCO as a store manager in Phoenix. Each year they host a manager's meeting for all the managers in the company, and that year it was in Long Beach, CA. It was kind of fun, kind of boring, all at the same time. We were staying at the Sheraton across from the Queen Mary, and I remember coming across the lobby one night on my way to dinner. Standing at the foot of the stairs was this rather cute guy with a really dopey grin on his face, dressed in a suit, obviously waiting for someone. I remember thinking Hmm that guy's cute and walking on. Fast forward to 1997, and I had the opportunity to move out to LA and open a new store. Since I wasn't doing much here and had been single for a few years, I decided to go for it. I really hadn't been to LA at all except for one weekend when I went with my parents to visit some friends and happened to go shopping in West Hollywood. (That is an entirely different story, standing on Santa Monica Blvd in front of the Rainbow flags with my not-yet-out-to parents. Never having been to a gay ghetto before I was in awe and so pissed that I wouldn't have a chance to get back there to party later that night! Like dangling chicken (no pun intended) in front of a hungry dog! I don't recommend walking into Drake's with your mother...)

So following the directions of the District Manager (just drive to LA, you'll find me...yeah right) I packed my stuff, jumped in the car with my dog Mojo, and off we went. I was pleasantly surprised to find my store would be on Robertson and Pico, just a few miles from WeHo. Jackpot! I can be a little shy, and have a hard time meeting people, so I mostly hung out by myself. (I'm not counting the idiot I went on a few dates with. He was pretty, but other then that should have had an "L" tattooed on his forehead.) Anyway each April PETCO has a booth at the Fairgrounds in Pomona at the Pet Fair and all the managers had to go help set up. I had not met any of the other managers in my new district, and was happy to walk in there and see that guy from the year before was already there! We all went to lunch and that's when I found out he lived in WeHo as well. We became fast friends, going out all the time, and by July we were officially dating.

This is of course my rosy recollection. Ask Gregg and he'll tell a tale of being stalked by a mysterious weirdo with highlights. But that's just him...