How we met

I met Perry on a Southwest Airlines flight from New Orleans to Orlando on Friday, April 2, 2004. I first spotted him while waiting to board the plane. He had run into a guy that he knew and they were telling hilarious stories about a friend of theirs. He had on a Hawaiian shirt and khakis and was on his way to an annual guy's fishing trip to the Bahamas.

I was one of the first to board the plane, so I grabbed one of the first seats which was in a row facing the next row and quite comfortable. Soon after I sat down, a woman and her daughter passed who were looking for seats together. I decided to give up my seat and move to a new one, hoping that this gorgeous man I'd seen while waiting to board would sit next to me.

After getting situated in a new seat, I was flipping through an on-flight magazine when I could feel someone's presence by my row. I looked up and to my amazement, there he was. He smiled as he looked down and asked me if anyone was sitting in the aisle seat next to me. I said no and he asked if he could join me and of course I said yes.

We spent the next two hours becoming acquainted. He told me that he was a tax attorney from New Orleans and that he was on his way to meet some friends in the Bahamas, which they did every year for his birthday, which was in the coming week. He told me that he had some regrets and one was that he had never married and was now 49 years old. He loved children and had always wanted to be a father, but had never met the right person.

He continued to entertain and enchant me for the entire flight and I was electrified in his presence. I was flying to Orlando to meet a doctor that I had gone out with once before, but after meeting Perry, he was all I could think about. I called my sister from a restaurant bathroom (where I could have some privacy) to excitedly tell her about the man I'd met on the flight and expressed to her that I hoped we would get to meet again.

Six months later, we had our first date and it was one of the most magical moments of my life. More about that later, but I am thankful that fate stepped in and brought me onto that flight on that day going to that destination and that we got to sit next to each other. It's one of those wonderful things that you wish for, but never expect to happen. This is for you, Perry.