So, Brooks thinks the family should hear the story of how I met Randy. Not sure how long this post will be, since there are other questions that deal with dating him and becoming engaged, etc., but I'm quite sure I'll think of something to ramble on about.
My sophomore year of college, I was on my second choice of majors, Special Ed. (No, that's not how Randy comes into the picture! Well, not directly anyway...) As part of my major, I began doing volunteer work at a school for mentally and physically handicapped children every Wednesday. It just so happened that there was a young man named Curt Majors who worked there and we became friends. He'd come to see me at the Zeta House; I'd drop by his house; you get the picture. I might have had a crush on him. I'm not really sure. I probably did. He was cute, except for his huge nose. All the girls at the house thought of him as my boyfriend, anyway.
One weekend in late October, 1974, all the Zetas went on a retreat. A time for us all to grow closer again after the summer apart. So all 30+ of us headed to one of the girls' home near Champaign, IL and spent the whole weekend together. Two bathrooms. Sleeping bags. All meals together. No one could leave. It was great for bonding, but truthfully, by Sunday night, I know I was ready to get away from my "sisters" for awhile. So, still in my railroad worker style, striped overalls and a red plaid flannel shirt, hiking boots, my glasses (which were still from the late 60s since I had gotten contacts) and hair that hadn't been washed in three days tied into pigtails, I headed over to visit Curt. October 26, 1974.
Curt was happy to see me. He didn't care what I looked like. He accepted me for who I was and he invited me in to visit for awhile. There was another guy there. Not very social; rather gloomy, but I didn't pay too much attention to him. Anyway, Curt was in the process of cooking a steak dinner for his friend Randy, Mr. Gloomy (who I found out was Randy's cousin, visiting from the Washington peninsula) and himself. Shortly after I got there, Randy arrived for dinner. He walked in through the back door and went to the kitchen sink to wash up after work and Curt introduced us. When Curt introduced me to Randy, he told Randy "This is Carol Zielke; or Zeke. Whichever you want to call her." Randy stood there drying his hands looked me over head-to-toe and simply said "Zeke." I hadn't really given much thought to how I looked until that moment, but to say I was mortified that I looked more like a "Zeke" than a "Carol" is putting it mildly.
I tried to make a hasty retreat, saying that I didn't want to interrupt their dinner, but Curt insisted that I stay and talk with them while they ate. I don't remember too much more of the evening (since I was obsessed with how to make my getaway), but I do remember that after we were all sitting in the living room talking awhile later, I finally felt that I could gracefully excuse myself, tell Randy and Mr. Gloomy that it was nice to meet them and say good-night. My mortification only became worse though when the minute I said that I needed to be going, the dear, pleasant Mr. Gloomy jumps up, grabs my car keys from the end table and THROWS THEM AT ME! Nice guy. Needless to say, I made a hasty retreat and hoped that I'd never see either one of them again.
I ran into Curt and Randy once that next week when they were out "cruisin' El Dorado" and, thankfully, found out that Mr. Gloomy had gone back to Washington.
The biggest surprise came on Friday night, Halloween. I was getting ready to go out with some friends and I got a call in my room over the intercom that I had a visitor. I had no idea who it could be. I'd never had a visitor in the house before, since I'd only lived there for two months. I came running down the dorm stairs into the "old part" of the house to the top of the grand staircase and looked down. Curt was standing there in a hideous werewolf-type mask, but I didn't even notice him. It was Randy looking up at me. We made eye contact and for the first time I actually heard the Spirit whisper in my mind: "That's the man you're going to marry."
I didn't know how to handle that moment. I hadn't had any interest in Randy. I always liked the tall athletic-types or the surfer dudes with sun-bleached, straight hair and definitely NO glasses. Instead, I hear in my mind that I'm going to marry this scrawny, curly-headed, nerdy looking guy who didn't even clear six foot? I couldn't believe it and yet I couldn't deny it either. I'm sure he felt something too. We never discussed it, but I remember that night so clearly. I know I had to have been ignoring Curt and his mask as he ran around scaring all the girls in the house. My focus was all on Randy and from that night on, it was he and I, with Curt the outsider.
There are a lot of times now that I wonder at that moment and the strength of our connection. I wonder why, if we were never going to make it anyway, why did I feel so drawn to him. But there have been many people through the years that have asked me if I would have married Randy if I would have known how it would all turn out and I have to say, based on that one moment in time, yes. Without a doubt. Because I know it was right for me. It was right for him. And it was right for my children. Although there were ups and downs; lots of trials and tears; there was also a lot of love, laughter and spontaneity. Had I not married Randy I wouldn't have had the children I have. Had I not married Randy, I doubt that I ever would have listened to the missionaries and I never would have known all the wonderful blessings that have been mine as a member of Christ's church.
When we went to my Zeta spring formal exactly six months later, we were dancing and the DJ began playing a popular Olivia Newton-John song and Randy looked me in the eye and said, "This is our song."
I sent him a text this morning when I woke up to wish him a happy birthday. This was his reply: "Thank you for being you and always remembering. Love you too."
My favorite post yet. Thanks for this...
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