At the start of 2018 Athena had sworn off dating! For at least a year; or so she told herself. After coming back from studying abroad, Athena needed to focus on finishing up school and finding a job. Or two jobs. Or three. It was a busy time of year and Athena wanted to put energy into closing the college chapter of her life. Once she fell into the humdrum of classes she made her way down to the local QFC to apply for a part time job as a cashier.

After a stellar interview, Athena was hired on the spot. Little did she know that this job would soon change her life in ways she couldn't even imagine.

Flashforward to Athena's first week on the job and she is handed a packet of new hire paperwork. This packet included a 'get to know the store' worksheet that instructed her to ask her fellow employees a random assortment of questions. Athena walked to the back of the store and into the produce section.

Standing there looking like the cutest, most handsome guy with kind eyes and adorable glasses was Danny. As he stacked yellow onions Athena walked up and shyly introduced herself, explaining to him about the new hire paperwork and asked if she could ask him a question to fill it out. He obliged and answered the question "What is a foodie?"

As Athena walked away from this conversation she thought to herself, that guy is cuuuuteeeeee.

A few weeks went by and Athena kept running into Danny. Every time they saw each other they would make excuses to keep talking. Athena even volunteered for the grossest job of taking out the store trash just because the path to get there was to pass produce where Danny was working.

After a series of butterfly inducing conversations, Athena knew there was something more. Right at the end of her shift one night Danny came through check stand three and chatted Athena up. This was her chance.

Athena pretended that she missed her bus. She ran upstairs to grab her things and rushed back down exclaiming loudly "oh no I missed my bus and the next one won't be here for so long!" A lie of course but she committed to the act. Danny offered her a ride home.

As they made the ten minute trek home in Danny's Honda Civic, Athena could feel her heart beating fast. They were making small talk when they found out they both had the next day off. Pulling up to Athena's place, Danny joked about making smoke signals in the sky to meet up, before he finally asked for her number. They planned to get a late afternoon coffee the next day. It was a date.

The first date brought all the normal jitters, but as they settled in, it became apparent that magic was in the air. They stayed all the way until the coffee shop closed at 9pm. Not wanting to go home quite yet, they made their way over to Beth's 24 hour diner where they split sweet bread, french-fries and milkshakes and talked about everything and nothing. It was perfect.

When Athena walked back into her home around 1am she felt dizzy with excitement. Though she was tired, she couldn't sleep. All she could do was replay the evening and think about how wonderfully easy it was for Danny to make her laugh and for her to share her stories with him.

Together, she and Danny have gone on so many adventures from the glaciers of Alaska to the roads of Missouri to the Regal Cinema. Each day there is laughter. Each day there is love. They share a passion of story telling and dream chasing and eating good food. Almost seven years later, Athena thinks back to that first date and smiles. It was the start of the most beautiful and precious thing she has ever known - a life with Daniel Edward Hyde.

The love story between Athena and Danny started like many of the great love stories of our time. Enemies to Lovers. Front of the grocery store melding with the back. Ok, they may not have been enemies but the Cashier to Produce relationship was real. What started with corporate paperwork over a pile of yellow onions quickly blossomed into what you see before you. It took a few extra long “shopping trips” where Danny assured Athena that he wasn’t just stalling to give her a ride home after her shifts. I mean, how could buying a single ground beef, a gallon of milk, and some ramen take over an hour? Alas, Athena took the bait.

One date turned into another the day after. That turned into hanging out until the wee hours of the morning almost every day while discussing life aspirations, restaurants to try, and places to see. Athena taught Danny that there was more to life than instant ramen for dinner and reminded him that living a life with stories to tell is the ultimate life to live.

These two have made it through many things in the last seven years. On their first vacation out of state together, two moose tried to take the love birds out. Danny’s strong wit and sense of survival helped them escape from Alaska unscathed, with a new appreciation for life. But golly did Athena still look fabulous during a near death experience.

There has been loss and gain in their shared lives. New jobs, changing career paths, and a global pandemic just for the cherry on top. So many once in a hundred years events and they’ve made it through stronger every time. At this point, we may just call this story a once in a hundred years love. There is no doubt they can take anything on with grace.

Weeks spent doing menial tasks for currency, escaping to see a movie, or raiding the true crime section at Barnes n’ Noble. It’s all worth it to them. Another cup of coffee, a smooch in public, a smile over a cute dog crossing at the intersection. The little things together are what it is about. A lowly produce boy and the beautiful cashier making the most of life. One day at a time, loving each other along the way... Without anymore Moose attacks, preferably, but they know they can take ‘em next time. Bring it on!