The love of my life married me. We are now three decades into our marriage, but the fact that Marsha married me is still a surprise when I think back to that fateful evening at that restaurant.

Although we were both in college and money was tight, I was able to find a nice restaurant that was within my budget. And luckily we had been seated in a cozy booth with a romantic candle flickering in the table top centerpiece.

I guess the waitress there must have recognized that we were a young couple out on a dinner date. For, although she professionally attended to our needs, she didn't hover around our table as we engaged in the small talk and nervous banter of two people getting to know each other.

We had been on a few dates and I really liked Marsha, but she wasn't being very talkative so I was nervous, hoping the evening was going well. Then while Marsha seemed to be listening attentively to my meanderings, I picked up that fateful water-glass.

I have always had a bad habit of sipping the water out of a glass until I can toss back the bits of ice to munch on. And that's what I did on our second date. But, perhaps our waitress was a little too efficient for I swear I had not seen her come by and refill my water glass!

--BOOOOSH!-- I tossed a whole glass of ice-water into my face.

Marsha held out, stone faced for about twenty seconds then with a gasp at having suppressed her laughter, she exploded into laughter. Then still giggling, with tears in her eyes, she dabbed at my face and shirt with her napkin.

It must have been love at first splash, because she married me anyway! And sometimes, when we are out to dinner at a table with a flickering candle, I swear I see a twinkle in Marsha's eye whenever a waitress asks if she may refill our water glasses.

...jfox...

Chapter Eight - I don't need ice water to get me into trouble; a cup of coffee and a donut will do just fine too...