Not Your Typical Romance Story

I figured since I've more or less introduced you to my two daughters you should know a little about where they came from. And that would have to be me and their Dad. My loving husband Jason. So I thought I should share the story of how we met. So here goes.
In June of 1998 my grandma who lived here in Oklahoma passed leaving her house empty. For some reason I was insistent on moving into it. Or just moving to Oklahoma period. I made up lists of reasons why we should move here. Cost of living was cheaper. A different school would do my little brother good. We would be closer to family. You name it I used it. I was 16 at the time so I had to work a little harder then most to convince an adult that moving 2000 miles was a good idea. But eventually they came around to my way of thinking and we moved here the next month.
So we get to Oklahoma at the end of July and get the house in order. Then its time for school to start. Going into your first year at a new school as a Junior is never fun. But I came out of my first day with 2 friends. I was elated. One of my friends had a job at the local Sonic Drive In. And she told me they were hiring. Well I needed the money and had more then enough time so I applied. I was called in for an interview the same day I turned my application in. I guess they were desperate. I was told I started the following day. I was nervous but more excited to actually have somewhere to go other then home to watch TV till my eyes drooped and it was time for bed,  for a change.
All that day at school my friend was telling me what the job was like. And who was who. And how some managers were more easy going then others. She said Kristy is a stickler. Don't piss her off or she will work you harder. The other one whose name escapes me at the moment was pretty hardcore too, but she was fun also. Then there was Jason. The bosses right hand man. Jason was scary to look at but really a big teddy bear. I shouldn't worry at all about Jason. He was cool. Turns out I started on Jason's shift.
 I show up to work 15 minutes early to make a good impression and to fill out some paperwork. Nothing really catches my attention. Typical fast food stuff. At 5pm in this big burly looking guy comes in. Shaved head. Beer belly. Crazy eyebrows. Glasses. And I really do think to myself : "Whose the child molester?"
Yea you guessed it.
That was Jason.
So I look at my friend and make the same comment to her. And she informs me that is Jason our manager for the evening.
Greeaaaat.
So the shift starts. Me and Jason exchange polite hellos. He tells me what I need to to do and where to be. I do it. And the shift goes by in a flash. Nothing really stands out to me about that shift except thinking he was really creepy.
In no time at all I become addicted to the job. I never thought it was possible to be a workaholic at 16, but I was one. Had many shifts with Jason. My first opinion of him changed slowly. He was cool. A very fair boss. Funny. But more corny then anything. He was also my favorite manager to work with, cause he didn't get in a panic when we had rushes. He was always in charge, not too pushy. Just calm and mellow and made things happen.
So after about 8 months on the job me and Jason became pretty good friends. Not the kind of friends that would go hang out or anything. I mean the dude was 10 years older then me. When I was 17 he was 27. That's ancient. Or so I thought. I had started smoking by this time so I could take a break like all the other smokers. It seriously seemed to be the only way to get 5 minutes off.  And when I would take smoke breaks usually Jason would be taking one at the same time. Probably because we were 2 of the few people who actually took breaks when it was slow instead of during a rush.
But anyway we took breaks together, and slowly got to know each other a little more here and there. What really stands out in my mind is the way he reacted one night. A mutual friend and coworker came to work and was as depressed as I have ever seen them. I remember wondering what was wrong but being too swamped to ask. I do remember Jason telling them to take a break with him. Which was unusual cause this friend didn't smoke. So I really don't ponder on it long. Then a little later I walk outside to take my break and see Jason and our friend crying together. CRYING! What kinda 27 year old dude cried openly with another dude? The more I thought about it, the more I became attracted to Jason.
Jason was always there to listen if you or anyone had a problem. He was the first person people wanted to go too. To say I was getting a crush would be right. I really just thought of it as a crush because I wasn't at all interested in an old man. Not me. I had plans. I was going to graduate and go off to college and party my ass off and then get a good job. Isn't life funny sometimes?
So I went about my workaholic ways. Kept talking to Jason casually as friends. Never thought he would look twice at me cause of my age. And then one night I was trying to eat my food in the middle storage room and Jason comes walking by and he stops and whispers in my ear: "What are my chances with you?" OK Mr.Lame Ass. Yea I had heard this line in the same movie I assumed he was quoting. So I respond "One in a million." And he goes "Great I still got a chance!" Whatever weirdo. As a teenager you tend to go over these moments over and over again in your head and analyze it to death. Any moment that has something to do with the opposite sex really. And I thought maybe, just maybe he did have a thing for me. I wasn't totally convinced, but its nice to have a dream right?
A few days after that Jason started walking me to my car when I would get off the night shift. Nothing weird about that. We had had some strange things going on around the place. A robbery and some shifty people around. So I thought he was just being polite. And it was always a good time. He would walk me to my car and we would joke, or talk, or just be silent cause we were pooped from our shift.
On this particular shift he told me to wait for him to finish counting money. He had never asked me to wait before. If he was busy I just walked myself, no biggie. Even though I knew my parents always waited for me to get home before they went to bed I waited. Something was up I could feel it.
So he finishes counting the take that day and puts it in the safe, same as he has done 100 times before. Looks at me and says "You ready?"
"Yep been ready for 20 minutes but your slow ass told me to wait." (We've always been so nice to each other)
So out the door we went. He was super quiet. I felt the tension radiating from him. What the hell was up with him?
We get to my car and I unlock it and throw my apron and keys in the seat, turn around and say "Thanks for walking me to my car, I'll see you tomorrow night I guess..."
So he says "Yea...tomorrow..."
Then it happens. He leans in and gives me the first kiss of my life from someone of the opposite sex that I wasn't related to. (Wow that sounds wrong but you get what I mean) To say I was stunned was an understatement. I was knocked out of orbit.  I swear I saw those fireworks people talk about. When it was over I practically fell down.
He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze and said a casual "See ya babe"
I got in my car and headed home. The smile never leaving my face. Had this just truly happened to me? Does this mean we are dating? What the hell am I going to do tomorrow at work? Is he going to act weird with me? Am I going to act weird with him? Do I tell my friends? My Mom? Anyone?
Well I could answer one of those questions as soon as I walked in my house and my Mom seen me. She said "Why are you smiling like that? What happened? Did you get kissed?" Wow that Mothers intuition wins every time.
And so the story began. The moral of the story is love at first sight doesn't happen nearly as often as people claim. Get to know someone before you judge them. I am glad I did.
Mellie Out.