Anne and Mark

Well, here's my (Mark's) version of the tale of how we met and came to where we are today:

In 1995 I was in Washington, D.C. as a Mickey Leland Hunger Fellow (now known as the Bill Emerson National Fellows Program). Part of the program included "Professional Development Days" (PDD's) where the whole group of us Fellows would meet every Friday to discuss our work, hold educational seminars, or do some other activity related to anti-hunger work.

One Friday in early summer I was running late to the PDD because I was the office's "computer guy" and I was responsible for setting up a bulk-fax to Congress of some letter that seemed pretty important at the time. This particular PDD was pretty unstructured. We were going to get together to watch Matewan, a movie about labor issues in Appalachian coal mines. (Anne Notes: "Wow, he's really gonna tell you the whole thing...") I walked in with the movie in session and dropped down on the floor in front of the T.V. A minute later, I glanced up as someone walked into the room. I was expecting to see one of my fellow Fellows, but to my suprise I saw this woman I'd never seen before and I was transfixed -- who was THAT?!?!

After the movie I found out that she was friends with Casey Long, one of my fellow Fellows (who's not a fellow at all -- stick with me, I know it's confusing). Her name was Anne and she was living with Casey for the summer. My interest was piqued, which meant I had to babble like an idiot in our first conversation which took place soon after the closing credits of the movie. I'm kindo of cool that way.

My Sweet Ride

After that initial meeting, I was really interested in her, but I was playing it cool and not moving too fast, mainly because I was terrified. Weeks went by before I finally got the nerve up to ask her out on a date. I bought tickets to a play at the Kennedy Center, called her up, and she said yes! So, we went to see the play, the Reduced Shakespere Company's The Bible: The Complete Word of God, Abridged, which was hillarious. We then went out to eat at a vegetarian restaurant in Dupont circle that no longer exists and we played a game of pool at one of the only coin-op pool tables I've ever seen in D.C. (I don't recall who won -- Anne probably does though ). Next, we wandered downtown and walked around the White House. From there, we walked to the Mall where I had parked my sweet ride, a 1984 Plymouth TC3. From there, we said good night and our romance had begun.

Now, it's a long story -- nine years or so -- so I'll shorten it a bit with bullet points:

• We dated for the whole summer of 1995.
• Anne left for England that Fall as she started her final year of college, so we broke up but kept in touch with this new fangled invention -- email.
• Anne returned from England and finished school in South Carolina.
• In the Spring of 1996 I moved to Florida, ending up in Key West by the end of the Summer.
• Anne moved to Sitka, Alaska for the Summer of 1996 meaning that we were about as far apart as two people can be while still in the North American portion of the United States -- in short, we were doomed.
• Fall of 1996, Anne started the Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowship and is placed in Eastern Kentucky.
• Fall of 1996, I visited Anne for two days in Kentucky. She's still pretty damned cute.
• Fall and Winter of 1996-97, we talk on the phone quite a bit.
• February 1997, Anne moves to Washington, D.C. via the Fellowship.
• Spring 1997, I decide to leave Key West and return to D.C. -- I had them "Waitin' Tables Blues" and thought there might be a future in that new World Wide Web thing.
• Summer of 1997 -- I'm still waiting tables, but lo and behold, Anne and I were dating again!
• Late Summer 1997 -- I get a real job (kinda).
• End of Summer 1997, Anne moves back to Kentucky to take her first real job, we try to keep dating long distance.
• February 14th, 1998, I visit Anne in Kentucky.
• February 15th, 1998, Anne and I decide to break up -- the distance thing wasn't working out.
• Lotsa stuff happened after that. I bought a boat and lived on it; Anne moved to Charlottesville, VA, we got back in touch, she visited me, I visited her, it could work out, it can't work out, she goes on a cross country trip with a college friend, she comes to visit on the boat, we go sailing -- that's the trick, GO SAILING -- we decide to get back together!
• We live happily ever after...

Like I said, that's my version of things, but I think it holds up pretty well .