How We Met
Patrick and I met in 8th grade when I moved into his school district. We sat next to each other in Science class and constantly bumped elbows because he’s left-handed and I’m right-handed. He was my best friend that year (and my secret crush). I joined clubs just so I could have more time to hang out with him. One day gave me his Spongebob bookmark and I definitely thought that meant he liked me. I kept it and I still have it to this day. We lost touch through high school but reconnected in college when our schools were 20 min away from each other. Through the years we have dated on and off but Patrick has always been my best friend. He has always been the one to make me laugh, make me feel better, and come to my rescue when I need him, no matter where he is or what he’s doing. He never gave up on me, even though I broke his heart a couple of times. We finally started ‘officially’ dating in October 2013 and the rest is history!
how they asked
Back in 2011, Patrick took me to go see Blues Traveler at Penn’s Peak. Blues Traveler is his favorite band and Penn’s Peak is a beautiful venue up in the Poconos. It was late September so the view was beautiful. I have been telling him for year that that night was my favorite date. When we saw Blues Traveler was coming back to Penn’s Peak, we bought tickets as soon as they were on sale. We have seen them a couple of times together and it’s sort of our ‘thing’. A couple weeks before he told me he was trying to win backstage passes. I didn’t think he’d win so I didn’t think anything of it. The day of the concert we went up with a couple of our friends. When we were getting ready to go inside he disappeared and came back with All Access passes saying he had won the contest! So we went back stage and they put us on the side stage for the concert. We watched a couple of songs from the side stage until John Popper called us out on stage to say ‘hi’. Patrick took over and he admitted that he didn’t win a contest and that he had a question to ask me. At that point I know what was going on and I immediately started crying.
After we got off stage, he had told me that he contacted the band a couple months before and told them what he wanted to do. He said that the band was super excited and they wanted us to come on stage and do it there. Everyone in the band was so nice and so excited, it was really great. We were able to come on their tour bus after the concert and properly meet them. They had beers waiting for us and were so excited to hear our story. I will never forget that.
As for the friends who were there with us that night, they had no idea what he was planning until right before we went backstage. Patrick kept his plan a secret from everyone but his Mom.
