A Love Story

We have an interesting story on how we met—or maybe it’s racy, or naughty, or maybe that is just how life is!
In 1991, I had lived in Sacramento for three years and dated a few men, but not the right ones. My friend suggested I put a personal ad in the free newspaper. I thought it sounded like a poor idea (you know, it would bring out all the nut jobs), but she insisted it was a great idea as I would be able to pick out whoever I liked!
Against my best judgment, I wrote up an ad: I was looking for someone 35 to 50 years old, someone who liked to hike, bike, and camp, someone who was close to retirement, etc.
The way the ads work is this: The girl (or guy) writes the ad, which is published, then makes a recording for the guy (or girl) to hear, so they can leave a message which you can retrieve, and then you call the person who responded to your ad. The ads run in the free newspaper for three weeks.
Okay, then, my ad was published with an error! So I was put-off by that, and decided it really was stupid and a waste of time and I wasn’t going to make a recording, so there!
Then, I checked my messages, and I had five responses, even though I hadn’t made a recording. So, I quick made my recording, but it wasn’t anything like the printed ad—it was kind of more or less a joke.
I kept a notebook of the callers. I know you don’t really know if someone is crazy or not until you meet them, but the guys that called all seemed alright. There were 45 that called. They left their first names; last names; where they worked; their home phone number; their work phone number; how many kids they had; their alimony payment; and whether they were bald, fat, or toothless—all the information a single girl needs!
So, again, like I said, all these guys seemed alright, then Greg called!
First off, it will help to understand the story if you know that Greg is an electronics genius. He was a computer repairman in the Air Force, he worked at a radio station, and I don’t fool with anything electronic without his approval and instruction, so the funny part of the story is coming up.
The messages played in reverse order, so I got this message, “Hi, this is Greg, and this is the third time I’ve called. I don’t know if I am sending the message or erasing it. I don’t know how to use voice mail”, and he proceeds to tell me a couple things about himself.
The next message, “Hi, this is Greg, and this is the second time I’ve called”. . . .and so on.
The next message, “Hi, this is Greg. I’m 32 years old. I’m a babysitter and housekeeper. I’m in a wheelchair”, etc. (I later found out he had never read my printed ad, he just heard my recording).
Before I had even met him, he made me laugh! I laughed all day! I didn’t know if I was going to call him back—you know? He apparently couldn’t read (the wrong age; way, way too young), it was pretty apparent he didn’t bike or hike, close to retirement age???? And what kind of job is a babysitter and housekeeper? Anyway, like I said, I laughed all day, and that evening decided to call him. Maybe he had fallen out of his wheelchair and bumped his head or something, you know? Or needed some other kind of help—like with reading or voice mail. Oh, plus, he had the most magnetic, intriguing, sexiest voice I had ever heard.
So, I called him, but he was busy. Then he called me, and I was busy. Then I called him back at 11:00 p.m. and we talked for three hours; we didn't want to hang up. I know I am not witty, I don’t think fast on my feet, I don’t have funny things to say, and Greg is witty, funny, fast-thinking, articulate, and charming. But, on our first phone call, I was saying funnier things than he was! Now, where did that come from? I was being so clever, that he couldn’t even think of something clever to say back.
We finally decided we would meet the following day. We decided a good, safe, neutral place to meet would be the Sacramento Zoo. But, he didn’t drive, so we couldn’t meet there—I would have to go to his house and pick him up! A very, very good thing that he wasn’t a serial killer or something!
Anyway, I went to the house where he lived with another couple whose baby he took care of, and as soon as we met, we were both, “Oh, you are so cute!” We went to the zoo, and we could hardly look at the animals because we had to look at each other!
He wanted to take me out to dinner the next night, so of course, we did that. And, then the rest of our life happened and we had this picture taken!

Greg and Elaine - September 27, 1992