Anyone that knows Jason Alcantara and Chris McKee knows that they are entertaining, funny and a little crazy. Proof of this is that fact that six years ago today, I ended up on a Megabus from Buffalo to Pittsburgh so we could go to Chick Fil A together (even though that never ended up happening...)
It all started when Jason "checked in" to Chick Fil A in Erie on his way back to Pittsburgh a few weeks before. The three of us bantered back and forth on the post and, before you knew it, I had a round trip Megabus ticket purchased for Veteran's Day because I had the day off from work. Because it is totally logical to spend eight hours round trip on a bus to spend about three hours somewhere... But that was the crazy nature of our friendship.
At the time, I was single and using Ave Maria Singles and Catholic Match to hopefully meet Mr. Right. Anyone who has done online dating (or any type of dating past their 20s) knows there are a lot of duds out there. This is even more the case when you are looking for someone that is a faithful Catholic. I had been talking with a few people but was most interested in this one guy who I had been talking countless hours with on the phone (when it seemed like only minutes had passed). He happened to live in Pittsburgh. However, the purpose of this visit was to spend time with Chris and Jason, not meet a potential love interest, so I didn't make plans to meet this person. As I was on the bus, curiosity had started to get the better of me and I considered asking him to meet me somewhere. But still I held off. After all, he was scheduled to come visit me in Buffalo two weeks later, so there was no reason that we couldn't wait for an in person meeting until then.
I remember marveling at the Pittsburgh skyline when we rounded a corner on the highway. You didn't see it at all and then, bam, there was this really unique and pretty view. When I arrived at the Convention Center and departed the Megabus, Chris McKee picked me up so we could meet Jason at the Dusquene Incline. Chris claimed he knew Pittsburgh well and could easily get us there. Except that wasn't the case. And we kept ending up in front of Heinz Field. After about the sixth time circumventing Heinz Field (for those not familiar with Pittsburgh, it is on the other side of the River from the Incline) we finally called Jason with a hilarious message to come and rescue us. So we eventually enjoyed a trip up the Incline, learned about the mechanics of the incline and enjoyed an amazing city view.
At this point, even though the entire purpose of the trip was to visit Chick Fil A, we decided to have dinner at Station Square instead. Of course it took us at least a half hour standing around to come to even come to that decision, at which point we still needed to decide which specific restaurant we were going to. When I realized Station Square was a little shopping area I started thinking, "hmmm, maybe I should call that guy and see if he wants to meet tonight." I hate to say it, but even though we had an amazing connection on the phone, I still wondered and worried that he would be a total dud and I'd be stuck with someone I didn't want to spend time with for a whole weekend. So I called the guy (my Chris) and asked where he was and if he was interested in meeting up that evening. In my head, we could walk around and talk for about five to ten minutes, I'd send him on his way and I would get back to dinner with my friends. My friends insisted that it was OK that I brought this person in, but I insisted I didn't need to. Chris agreed to meet me there. Little did I know that even though he said he was on the South Side (near where we were) he was actually almost home in Monroeville.
I was a bit nervous about meeting Chris in person, but at the same time felt some sense of ease because we had gotten along so well. When we finally met in person in the shops area of Station Square I was pleasantly surprised. Upon first glance he was actually more attractive in person then he was in his profile picture. When does that ever happen?! Then we greeted each other with a hug. I literally had this electric charge type feeling run through my body. It was crazy (in a good way). We started to walk a little and chat and within five minutes I decided to ask him to join my friends and I for dinner. He got along very well with both of them and the conversation flowed freely. There were also plenty of laughs along the way.
It was a fairly warm evening, so we walked around outside Station Square for a bit taking in views of the skyline and the fountain show. Chris put his arm around me and once again I had that electric feeling happen. At one point, McKee (who was working at a Sheraton Hotel at the time) decided to check out the one that is at Station Square. That left Chris and I alone for a few minutes. When we were above the Gateway Clipper boat docks, he leaned in to give me a kiss. I had never kissed on a first date, but somehow that time it was totally appropriate. And, in my heart, I totally knew it was the last first kiss I'd ever have. I later found out that he felt the exact same way. I was cherishing every single minute of our time together and suddenly regretting the fact that I needed to get on the bus soon. As luck would have it, McKee decided he wanted to go to Buffalo for the weekend, so I was able to stay longer. At one point, we were discussing what we should be doing at 11:00 on 11/11. The funny thing was that what we were doing at that magical moment was discussing what we should be doing. It was so perfect for the crazy nature of that entire visit to Pittsburgh.
It was really hard to say goodbye to Chris that evening and it felt like it would be an agonizingly long two weeks before I would see him again. But we parted with another kiss and a promise that we would see each other soon.
During the four hour drive home, McKee and I had an honest conversation about our feelings for the first time ever. We had been pretty inseparable and often joked that we shared a brain. Honestly, we acted more like a couple then a lot of couples do, but neither of us were willing to have that awkward conversation. But that night we finally did. He wasn't sure what he wanted out of life, where he wanted to go career wise and was definitely still thinking about the seminary. He had never had a girlfriend and wasn't sure if and when he'd be ready for that step in his life. I was so grateful that the two of us finally had that important and candid conversation, because it left me even more willing to free up my heart and give it totally to Chris. Even with the serious conversation topic, we still shared lots of laughs (including silly things like laughing over town names like Zelinople). We even made it to Chick Fil A! Sort of... In Erie we pulled into the parking lot and drove through the drive through lane to be able to say we actually did go to Chick Fil A that trip. We also stopped at the adoration chapel at Fr. Larry Richard's church where I was able to praise God for such a wonderful evening and for an answer to my prayers for clarity. (I had just finished a Novena to St. Jude where my request was for clarity in my marriage vocation). I think we got back to Buffalo around three in the morning. The craziest thing about that is that my choir was being filmed that morning at 8 a.m. for a national television appearance.
At some point during my drive home, Chris called me and left the sweetest voice mail ever about how grateful he was to have met me that evening and how hard it would be to wait two more weeks to see me. And I was so excited about our meeting that I kept looking back to the picture posted above because it all seemed so surreal. That picture was proof the perfect evening had actually happened.
People always say "when you know, you know." but I thought it was just a bunch of hogwash. But after meeting Chris that night, I totally understood why they say it. There were several relationships before that one, but none of them gave me the feeling that I experienced that first time meeting Chris in person. I think my friends were sick of me talking about the amazing adventure that I had that night, but I just couldn't help it, I was excited and wanted everyone to know. (I seriously felt like that scene in Elf where Buddy says "I'm in Love! I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!") We were engaged about six months after we met and married a year and a half after meeting. Some people think it was really fast, but when you meet someone in your 30s, you can tell pretty quickly if it is the kind of relationship you want to build towards marriage or not.
Today is six years since that crazy night and I still remember the details as if it was yesterday. The crazy thing is that I sometimes can't remember what I had for lunch today, but I can vividly recall the outfits we were both wearing, the things we talked about, where we were when he put his arm around me, where we were when we kissed. And so many more tiny details. Especially the way that his touch gave me that electric feeling. Because even today, six years later, it still does. With the grind of every day life (especially with two two year olds) we often don't have time for date nights or to do the loving things that we did for each other during our dating and engagement period, but when Chris rubs my head or I lay in "my perfect spot" I still feel like the giddy teenage girl that I felt like that first night we met.
I'm sure that if I had met Chris two weeks later in Buffalo we still would have had a magical weekend together, but I'll forever be grateful that Jason and McKee made me come to Pittsburgh two weeks earlier because it certainly makes for a much more entertaining story.
I love you, Chris, and I'm looking forward to countless more years with you filled with crazy adventures like the night we first met.
Well, thanks for sharing THAT tale! So great to read. And so nice to read something so positive and sweet in these crazy and troubling times.
ReplyDeleteThanks!