For Valentines Day – My Love Story

People often ask how we met.  The short answer is folk dancing.  But today, on Valentines Day, it seems right to tell the whole story.  It starts with Ken.  He and a former flame decided to travel together between Christmas and New Year’s when flight rates were low.  Ken wanted to go to Banff, Canada, but Margo insisted on a warm, sunny place: Mexico.  Ken’s priorities were crafts and ruins – history.  They did research and ordered airline tickets and a place to stay in Oaxaca.

Then, near Thanksgiving Margo backed out.  She had decided to travel with her new boyfriend to his family in Finland (a warm, sunny place Ken noted).  The question was did Ken want the ticket or to trade them in or ?  As Ken tells it, he started to think of possible travel companions and thought of “fun” dancers.  He could think of two: one was married with children, so that seemed a long shot, and the other, well he didn’t remember her name (me, Judith). 

So he asked me.  I knew him as an occasional, lively dancer.  I had only traveled outside the country to Canada.  I had some money I inherited from my grandmother, and my co-workers said they would cover for me during a busy time at work.  But did I want to get on a plane with someone I hardly knew?

I consulted my friend Tom (who, as it happens was here at Ken’s death – talk about full circle).  His advice was simple: “Go out to his place, check it out, and meet the dog.”  I asked why.  “If the dog cowers, don’t get on the plane.”  So I drove out to Turtle Lake in the dark in a snow storm. over shot the drive, came back from Turtle Lake, and met the dog.

Abby the border (collie) beagle was a real charmer.  And so, for years when asked, either Ken or I would look at Abby and say, “That dog is the reason we are together.”