He would be the topic of conversation as I would comment on his dress and the scent that lingered after he left. 

“I think he likes you,” they would say. “Nope, he’s not my type,” I would respond, “but he sure smells nice.” 

One day I finally agreed to go out with him. Boy, was I surprised when he showed up in a car older than mine with no color to it — maybe it was faded gray —all I remember is the crack in the windshield. OK, no problem, it’s just a ride, just a means of transportation. Our plan was to have an afternoon lunch in Virginia, which was an hour’s ride. 

“How can I ride an hour with him … the car has no console, where is the radio?” I thought. “Let’s just eat somewhere local, like right down the road or something,” I suggested, and we did. 

I ended up married to this handsome and loving guy — he often jokes that he knew he had me when I went on our first date with him in his old beat-up car with no paint on it, a cracked windshield and no radio console. Thanks coworkers, you know who you are. It was the best decision I ever made.

Deborah Harris, Elizabeth City, a member of Albemarle EMC