Frustrated with the disjointed nature of the dating app scene, Cole was mere hours away from deleting his Bumble profile altogether. The banalities of virtual courtship just weren’t for him. The potential for any kind of meaningful human connection just seemed too remote. In other words—it was a complete and utter waste of time. You tried, he thought, chalk it up to the game and go back to the drawing board. Tomorrow, we reevaluate. Discarding his mild disappointment for the evening, he settled down to watch an NBA game on the pilled and cat-scratched secondhand couch in his living room. Was it Emerson or Thoreau who once said he preferred a pumpkin to himself than to be crowded on a velvet cushion?

Minutes before tip-off, his phone chimed with a recently familiar tone. Another conspicuous yellow Bumble notification glowed across his iPhone’s screen. He had received a message from a girl he matched with earlier in the day. A girl named Jo. The pictures on her profile showed a collection of intricate tattoos covering her arms; a beautiful, friendly smile juxtaposed her platinum-white dyed hair, similar to the shade donned by Phoebe Bridgers.

Cole was in disbelief. He had swiped right on her profile as a mere formality–a futile gesture, as far as he was concerned. There was no shot that this striking gal attending U of I in Champaign would have any interest in a 25-year old accountant living in Normal, Illinois. He sounded like a walking dull cliche! Could it be a scam? Would she request his bank account info in order to be freed from a Sri Lankan labor camp? Perhaps she had an incredible “can’t-miss” investment opportunity to pitch? Cole considered every potential false pretense in the fleeting moments before opening the notification. Despite his pessimism, the message read:

He knew he messed up the moment he closed the door. Attribute it to nerves, absentmindedness, overwhelming elation, or a combination of the three, perhaps. Before Jo left Kern Street, she was FaceTiming her friend, Gabby, with all the evening’s details. She too was buzzing with excitement, but couldn’t help feeling puzzled over Cole’s farewell (or lack thereof, rather). Nonetheless, they had plans to hang out the following day at Jo’s apartment.

That Sunday was a continuation of their budding attachment. They listened to more music and watched Dazed and Confused. Jo introduced Cole to her brown puppy, Miss Daisy, who ran amok and playfully gnawed on his arm, as well as her tabby cat, Rey, who wandered from room to room in search of mischief and a place to curl up. Cole instantly gravitated to both of them. He left Champaign that night with a toothy grin and a belly full of ramen noodles. And yes, he even got that kiss.

They alternated between Champaign and Normal over the next few weeks. Some of those dates included a parking garage rooftop picnic, a hike at Matthiessen State Park, and a few early mornings reading in a booth at Caffe Paradiso. Cole thought Jo to be kindness personified, gentle in every aspect yet wielding an adventurous spirit. She adored his ingenuity and perpetual air of patience. Eventually, Jo brought Cole home to the Gerlaw countryside to meet her family on Easter. That same weekend, he asked her to be his girlfriend, confirming what they both knew was inevitable. Just a couple weeks later–and after a few tequila shots for encouragement–Jo told Cole she loved him outside a Papa John’s while waiting in line to get into Kam’s. Cole happily reciprocated and was quick to note the romantic setting.

Despite their relationship’s infancy, the new couple quickly began planning to check off an entry on both their bucket lists: a road trip into Big Sky country. Travel was vital to both of them and this trip would be a litmus test of sorts to indicate their longevity. Departing from central Illinois in a rented Toyota RAV4, they headed west, thus commencing ten straight days of blacktop and each other’s company.

Fear not, dear reader, for our young lovebirds encountered few obstacles along the way, but rather embarked on a journey that solidified the foundation of something special for years to come. They feasted on Ethiopian cuisine in South Dakota before traversing the otherworldly landscapes of the Badlands. Atop the boiling supervolcano that is Yellowstone, they winded through gushing geysers and noxious calderas. They took in the sunrise among the lush green corridors of Glacier National Park, then karaoked the night away at a nearby bowling alley immune to the hands of time. A rained-out ballgame forced them to hunker down in an English-style pub that served beer chasers with Bloody Marys in downtown Minneapolis. And on their last night before heading home, they pitched a tent in the wilderness of rural Wisconsin. Not a single disagreement, argument, or debacle ensued.

The months, then years passed by like sweet little days. Jo graduated from college. She moved with Cole to St. Louis, where they rented a cozy two bedroom house on Utah Street, just south of Tower Grove Park. For the next year, they reveled in the city life and its various bars, restaurants, shops, and peculiarities. They made new friends and hosted old ones, played a lot of pool and had their fortunes told. Sunny, warm Saturdays called for drives up the Great River Road with mandated stops at the Bloody Bucket Saloon and the Old Bakery Beer Company. Cole dragged Jo to as many Cardinals games as she could muster–although a warm pretzel with cheese at the ballpark was often enough incentive for her. It was a time of discovery for both of them, shipping out like that, and it was necessary; but while the sojourn forever cemented a place in their hearts for the city of St. Louis, they missed home.

In April 2023, they began looking for a house in Bloomington. It was the most logical home base–equidistant from friends and family alike. The search didn’t last long as they fell in love with the second house they toured, a charming two-story colonial in the Founders’ Grove neighborhood. A large picture window greeted them in the living room–the perfect conduit of sunlight for Jo’s beloved plants; the built-in shelves the ideal display for the couple’s collection of books and curios. In a moment of unspoken telepathy, they knew: this must be the place.

Today, Cole and Jo are living in their new home in engaged bliss. Upon moving to Bloomington, Cole accepted an accounting job with Farnsworth Group while Jo began building her own photography business. Their evenings are spent working on the house, watching Jeopardy!, listening to records, and relaxing in the hot tub, among other things. In the months since the Seattle trip, they’ve been seemingly busy nearly every weekend attending weddings, traveling, and hanging out with friends and family. It would also be remiss to not mention the couple’s constant adoration of their pets Daisy, Rey, and Tippi–a household menagerie if there ever was one.