I remember the first time I ever saw Hattie. It was the first day of Junior Guards, a summer program for kids wanting to be an ocean lifeguard someday. I can still see her and her mom walking in the gate to this day. I took every opportunity I could that summer to take a quick look at the girl in that light blue one piece.

Four years later, I finally found some momentum! I finally got her number and this could be it! Sadly though, it didn’t go far with us both being too awkward to know how to talk to each other… Eventually things fizzled out and we stopped talking and moved on.

Just as expected, when we were both older, we worked as lifeguards for Galveston Island Beach Patrol. I took every opportunity to make a little joke here and there to

make her laugh and to get to know her just a little bit more.

On New Year’s Eve 2022, I was with my buddy Mickey, having a beer at Tsunami when I saw her walk in the bar. Could this be my chance after 10 years? I was going to go up to her, when instead, I overheard her say to her friend “I’m going to go say hey to Sam over there, I’ll be right back”. Yes! We started talking, and we immediately hit it off. We hung out the whole night and had the best night of our lives. Mickey, being the great friend he is, bought me a few extra hours to spend with her and her friends at Waffle House (thank you, Mick).

She happened to be living in San Marcos at the time for college but was graduating soon and interested in moving to Austin. So, living in Austin myself, I offered to take her “apartment shopping” as way to ask her out. We never went apartment shopping. Instead, I took her to Penny backer bridge, and we walked the trails and overlooked the sunset. Despite her being 3 hours late for our first date, it went better than I could’ve

imagined. We’ve been off and running ever since.

13 years later, and we’re finally going to close the deal. God is good and persistency is

key.

-Sam