How I Got the Rock of My Life From Taking Her Picture.

Cathy and I met by chance. My friend was having a dalliance with her sister and arranged to meet Maureen at City Lights in Providence. Cathy was with Maureen and when I saw her my heart stopped. There was the beautiful dark-haired woman who frequented my life-long dreams. The group parted and eventually joined up again at Shbooms a 1950’s themed establishment in Providence, long since closed. By that time, I was acting foolish, fueled by drinking and revelry – a trait I have gratefully shed for almost 19 years. Even then, I often carried a film camera to capture moments with friends. I garnered the alcohol fueled courage to ask Cathy to dance and whizzed around her, taking pictures of her and anyone else who came into view. She was put off by me, remembering my sunburn and thinking, from the red tone of my skin, that I also had red hair. She thought I was a crazy fool. Fast forward to the moment that would change my life forever. My friends Cheryl and Steve Botwick stopped by my apartment and were leafing through a pile of drug store developed photographs. Cheryl came across the picture I took of Cathy and asked how I knew her. I had not stopped thinking about her, and seized upon the opportunity for Cheryl to arrange a “blind” date. We were engaged four months later, and married a year after that. She is the rock of my life. I could not have accomplished many of the things I have, or gained the great friendships I have without her. I love my beautiful wife Cathy. If I had not taken her picture that night, both of our lives would have been very different.