Every Kiss Begins With Kay

Every Kiss Begins With Kay
by tim pezzelle (with an assist from sherry)
2011-02

valentine's day is quickly approaching.  in a year of "firsts without", it didn't even occur to me that valentine's day would be a struggle.  this isn't a holiday that we treasured.  sherry's idea of a perfect valentine's dinner was to find a Blimpey's Sub Shop that hadn't closed - she loved Blimpey's.  but, if i might risk a moment of utter transparency, valentine's day has been the most difficult "first without" so far.  so, to turn this mild depression around, i'm going to journal the sweet story of tim and sherry's "meet cute".
 
SHE
was a Christian with a family heritage in the churches of Christ going back several generations.
 
HE
was a heathen, living well outside of anything resembling a relationship with Christ.
 
SHE
had graduated from David Lipscomb University in the Spring of 1977 and was living and working in Nashville, Tennessee.  a visit to see her brother's family in Juneau, Alaska during the summer of 1979 turned into more of a long-term stay.  while working for the state government in Juneau, she made two new friends - Cindy and Janine.  the three of them began plotting their exit from Juneau beck to the lower forty-eight.
 
the plotting led them to a deal being offered by one of the major airlines:  fly wherever we go for 30 days for a flat fee.  too good to pass up, right?  so Sherry, Cindy and Janine put their money down and set off for the adventure of a lifetime.... Mexico, from resorts to ruins...  on a very tight daily budget....  meals of peanut butter and crackers in resort settings...  broken down bus rides into the jungle to see Inca (or is it Aztec) ruins.   
 
HE
had moved from small-town Illinois to Tempe, Arizona to complete his college education at ASU.  attending classes but without any direction or passion.  going thru the motions and going thru his savings.  playing more basketball than studying....  barely getting by in classes....  a typical under-acheiver if ever there was one.
 
SHE
had returned to Mesa, Arizona in the Spring of 1980 - after her adventures in Mexico and the Caribbean - to spend some time with her parents and shore up her bank account before returning to resume her life in Nashville.
 
HE
had almost completely run out of savings and needed to continue supporting himself.
 
THEY
both applied for jobs with Kay Jewelers in the new Fiesta Mall in Mesa.  she had extensive retail experience and was an obvious choice to be hired.  he had no retail experience and was hired only by the grace of God.
 
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?
in a word, no.  training for their new jobs was conducted at one of the nice hotels on North Scottsdale Road.  he rode his bike (what an idiot!) and walked into the room looking more like a crazed prison escapee than someone soon to be working in a jewelry store.  she would later confide that this first impression had her seriously considering quitting before even starting.
 
SECOND CHANCES
fortunately for him, she didn't quit, and they got to know each other over the ensuing weeks.  she was transparent in her relationship with God AND quite attractive AND confident AND independent AND quite attractive AND optimistic AND.....  he finally asked her to dinner AND she said yes.
 
A SICK ROOMMATE / A FIRST KISS
they came home from an evening out to find one of his roommates quite sick - enough to warrant a trip to the ER.  waiting on one of the outside balconies at Desert Samaritan hospital, they shared their first kiss.  WOW!!!!  she was the best kisser in the entire history of kissers.
 
YOU'RE GOING WHERE?
soon after that first kiss, she announces her intention to return to Nashville.  she invites him to ride along to the airport where she hands him a bible and another kiss - to the astonishment of her family.
 
I PREFER A NICE, HANDWRITTEN SENTIMENT
that summer, they exchanged letters....  he asks questions about God and she answers.  he starts going to her family's church... more letters....  he has fallen in love with this God he had misunderstood.... he has fallen in love with this girl who is 2000 miles away.  he is baptized, changed forever, because of her.
 
EXCUSE ME, DID YOU SAY "FLORIDA"
she tells him that she is considering a mission team in florida that will eventually result in relocating to europe for some time.  he tells her he'll be on the next plane to change her mind or go with her.
 
CHANGE IN ITINERARY
instead, she comes back to arizona.  turns out, her trip to Nashville was also about a boy there.... but she liked the boy in arizona better.
 
SHE SAID YES
two months later, he asks and she says "yes".  eight months later, they say "i do".
 
so, you see, every kiss (worth remembering) does begin with kay. 
 
thank you, sherry, for a lifetime of the best kisses -  every one now treasured.  i'll be at Blimpey's!