Of course we met at the airport.
This was back in May, 2000.
Lisa was interested in getting her pilot's license and had taken a summer job at the Goderich airport as the meeter/greeter/fueller/ to earn some money toward that goal.
I had been flying a Beech Baron, hauling cargo under contract to UPS from Goderich to Hamilton every night. It was a pretty cool job, but I had actually given my notice and was about to move to Toronto to fly a turboprop for a corporate operator. I was scheduled to start work at my new job shortly, and was excited about it, even though I was a little apprehensive about the operator I was going to work for (they had a bit of a shady rep at the time, though they have since improved).
Lisa started work on the Monday, one week before I was going to move to Toronto and start my new job. I met her on Tuesday.
"Hello, my name is Sully. I fly airplanes, so I'm kind of a big deal."
Would my shock-and-awe campaign work?
"Hi, I'm Lisa. You're not a big deal at all, you're just a damn pilot. No, I don't have any money you can borrow."
Curses, she was a smart one.
She was smart, quick-witted, and had a great sense of humor. Lisa is an old soul; she has had her act together from a very, very early age, which is great because that makes her the mature one.
We hit it off instantly, and during that first conversation, the little man in my head who tells me what to do whispered a single word to me.
"Her."
I whispered back to him "You do realize that this is going to be trouble, right?"
"Her. She's the one." said my psyche, again.
And it just clicked in my head, like flipping on a switch. She's the one.
I was single, having just come out of a rather casual relationship with a rich divorced woman, so I wasn't encumbered.
"Lisa, would you like to go for an airplane ride sometime?" My face felt hot and my voice sounded croaky as I tried to act all casual.
"Yes!" She seemed pretty happy at my offer.
We made a date for Friday, and I canceled my move to Toronto, calling my old boss and telling him I'd like to stay in Goderich a while longer. He said sure, so that part worked out just fine.
Now before I get any further, I want to point out that all the best love stories have some sort of conflict or difficulty inherent in the situation. Ours is a particularly fine story, and it comes with a particularly high level of difficulty.
I'm also saying this because I know that after reading this post to the end, some of you will delete my blog from your bookmarks and never return. You will not be alone in your disapproval, trust me.
I'll cut to the chase. That was in 2000. Currently it's 2008. I am now 36. Lisa is now 23.
More tomorrow, should you choose to continue...
27 comments:
It starts like a nice story.
I'm looking forward to reading your next post about it.
Very nice blog by the way.
I've been subscribed to your RSS feed for a few months now.
Pat, 36 too, french sunday plane pilot
Count on me, I'll stay tuned ;)
Way to rob the cradle! :) (joke)
As long as your happy, age has nothing to do with it.
(unless you heard about the marriage announcement in India last week about the 11 year old marrying his 10 year old cousin?? That might be pushing a little...)
A fantastic post Sully, a gripping story and I can't wait to read more. Like Anon said, as long as you were happy.
Dave
Ain't it great how that little voice talks to us? Sounds like y'all were meant to be.
If you didn't break her, I guess you get to keep her.
My dad was 25 yrs older than my mom. He had a son who was a year older than her. They had a good relationship and they loved each other. He was 54 when I was born and 56 when my brother was born. Very rare back in those days.
You've lasted this long, I think you'll manage. Marry the girl......( sung like the crab in The Little Mermaid)
amulbunny
Kinda reminds me about...life (my own?), which is about meeting people, note age :)
...and in the back of my mind I heard Heaven 17:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j_ca1JXmfCw
I'll be back for more. My "Absolutely HER" is 11 years younger; 7 years later (and a melt-your-heart baby girl later), I haven't been happier since she first kissed me.
So please go on Sulako, your story reminds me mine.
Cheers.
f tha haters. your love will keep both of you young!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lTISKUGwKYk
I gotta say dude, it's a little sick that you were a 28 year old preying on 15 year old girls.
Now the age thing isn't a big deal, but what the hell were you doing chasing 15 year-olds when you were 28.
D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E
"I gotta say dude, it's a little sick that you were a 28 year old preying on 15 year old girls.
Now the age thing isn't a big deal, but what the hell were you doing chasing 15 year-olds when you were 28.
D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E"
I was sort of expecting all of the comments to be like this. I'm not going to argue, but I want to clarify a couple of minor points.
I want to clarify one thing. I wasn't hurtin' for female company, but that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to be with Lisa.
I was also chasing 15 year-old girl, not girls. Singular, not plural. My previous g/f was in her mid-40's, and this was the first time I had even considered being with someone more than a year or two younger than me.
Trust me, it wasn't like "Oh yeahhh...I have my own teenybopper." It was like "Sweet Jebus, I'm in love with a teenager. This is so not good for my reputation. Everyone is going to think I'm a pedophile, and I don't blame them a bit".
And I haven't even gotten into the initial conversation with her parents...
I know your a busy man but the wait for the sequel is killin' me!
Nothin' but respect btw. When you know, you know.
- Matt
When I first heard this story I was quietly horrified, but before I could back away, it became clear that this was the real thing and that she was as lucky to have him as he was madly in love with her.
Well told, Sully.
Wow, it's like I was there for it.
LOL ;)
At least you had the decency to be horrified with yourself. And to borrow a line from "Mallrats" you two are clearly retarded for each other...so I say ignore the assholes and get on with the rest of the story ;)
I think that the age difference shows up at Lisa's young years and then in your old years. Her formative years were affected by a mature relationship. Who knows how that might play out as she matures in experience?
Then when you move into your 60's she will still be a young 40's and that's when the next set of visibly different needs/wants will arise. So I say work on your wellness really hard so that you are a young "old man"and don't hold her back from a full life.
It's a brave thing to expose yourself.... to your readers, Cap'n Sulako. Believe me, I understand about the unique drama that is each human life . I've got a big "secret" too. not that anyone cares.
So I sure don't judge you, and wish you and Lisa the best. It sounds like you're both very happy... and that's all we can hope for, any of us.
Sully, I too look forward to the rest of the story. After we learn the story from your perspective, it would be interesting to get an idea of the story from Lisa's perspective as well.
You were a bit outside of the empirically derived formula of half your age plus seven as a minimum age for your romantic interest. :) But that isn't a rule, just an observation of what is typical.
People are all different, and while there are plenty of women my age who are outrageously immature, there are women many years younger who are more mature than I am on my best days. As a mid twenties guy, it seems pretty obvious to me that often women younger than me are going to be a better match than women my age or older...excepting cougars of course. Gotta love the cougars.
I am glad you addressed my comment rather than deleting it.
I still think it is weird that you would have thought it okay to pursue a 15 year old girl.
I would have said to myself that whatever I was feeling about this girl would have to be ignored due to the fact that she was 15. No matter how much of a soul mate I thought she was.
Sully,
When you first told this to me my jaw hit the floor. But as life always is, these things are obviously a little more involved than a simple "hehehehehhe i got my selfs a teenager!". I am sure that had most of the naysayers would have had a hard time had they found out the girl they decided to be the one was "too young". Besides I have seen some smoking hot girls that in no possible way looked, acted, or seemed to be jailbait.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0226009/ - The movie Jailbait.
"A comedy about getting off.....with probation"
- You are under arrest for statitory rape.
- You guys think I had sex with a statue?!?!?!?
Please tell me you did not date a 15-year-old girl but waited until she was at the age of consent. There are reasons for laws governing relations between people (same reasons we treat juveniles differently than adults in the criminal courts). I'll add that my sentimental self is thrilled that you and Lisa found each other, and my human self wishes you all the best!
The age of consent in Canada is 14.
Doesn't make it right though.
I understand the little voice thing. I had had plenty of normal dates & relationships when I met my wife. I was 21 & she was 25 and I proposed after nine days when the "little voice" took control of my mouth!
Now, 40 years on, 38 of them married, we are both happy to be together & I have never been unfaithful despite some blatant offers. That isn't to say that you don't have to work at it some of the time - good, unambiguous communication, a large helping of humour (sorry, British spelling) and a large dollop of consideration are needed from both partners but it is definately WORTH IT!
From the photo, Lisa looks to be a beautiful person, not just in looks, so cherish her. The age difference does not matter so much now as at the beginning and is easier your way round than when the woman is older.
I wish you a long & happy relationship......
Big Steve
I keep checking to see if more has been added to this blog on this topic. Very well told.
High Five's Sully. Half the women on the cover of Cosmo are 15. It's no longer common to fall for someone under a certain age, but if you ever see those couples who have managed to celebrate their 60th, or 70th anniversary, it's always interesting to see how young the bride was on the day of the wedding. I'm sure it was awkward for you, and good on ya for finding a way to make it work.
How much longer are you going to make us wait before we get the rest of the story!? :)
Part 2 is up now, so enjoy my tale of stupidity and embarrassment :)
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