Never too Late for Love
Several years ago, I worked for a mortgage company. The phone rang; it was my turn to answer it. “Thank you for calling Chitwood Mortgage,” I said in my most cheerful and smiling voice. A very masculine voice replied: “Thank you for answering.” His voice and humor got my attention immediately. I straightened up and began taking down information to start the loan process. I liked his voice and for some silly reason, I didn’t understand, it gave me a slight shiver.
When I hung up the phone, I looked around at my co-workers and told them I had just taken the coolest application. Then, I Informed them that I might just marry the man. Everyone thought that was funny and we all had a good laugh. The loan progressed in the usual way, I had the good fortune to be the person who always collected the necessary documents needed from the applicant.
I began to think about Walt (that was his name), and reached the decision to call him up and ask him out. I was in my middle sixties, and asking a man out was not in keeping with my southern upbringing. I told the girls I worked with, about my plan. They informed me that calling him up and inviting him out was a conflict of interest. Oops, I had forgotten about that. No problem, I would have to wait until we closed the loan.
So, I waited! The loan was closed and I made the phone call. He took me to dinner on Friday evening. We had a lovely meal together and chatted until the waitress was tired of refilling our wine glasses. He took me home, walked me to the door and said he would be in touch. All the next two weeks, I waited for a phone call, but none came. I was confused ! Did I just imagine that we had a good time and got on well with each other?
I’m sorry to say that I actually chased this man until he caught me. I made a shopping list and told everyone in the office I needed to go to the new pharmacy, where he was manager, to pick up a few things. When I walked in, he saw me and came over to say hello. I asked him if he could help me find a few things and handed him my list. He read the items out loud: lotion, toothpaste, body wash, nail polish remover and WALTER. He looked down at me: “WALTER?” He said with the cutest grin. I immediately replied: “ What can I say, you are on my list.” After that day, we became an item, but the best was yet to come.
A few months later, he invited me to go with him to a Christmas toy drive for kids. Each person was to bring a toy. He told me not to pick up one, as he had already purchased one for me. When we arrived at the drop off for the toys, he opened his trunk and it was bursting at the seams with toys. I fell madly in love at that moment. We were married three months later, and we have been blessed with our “Happy ever after” for fifteen years now.
