We met on hinge in October of 2020, the peak of quarantine. I saw her picture, a cute brunette in aviator sunglasses walking in a field of sunflowers and I knew I had to get to know her over wine and Itallian food. Meeting outside at a winery with local Itallian takeout, we did just that.

What followed were many more dates involving too much coffee, long walks outside, playing cooperative mode in Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, and trying to woo her with my cooking and baking abilities as a former "Rock God of Cooking". Despite the state of the world at the time, I fell in love, nervously asking her to be my girlfriend over caramelizing onions for homemade burgers.

Since then its been spontaneous vacation trips with friends and family, gourmet specialty home meals any chance we get, painting goofy pottery together, singing Taylor Swift loudly on long road trips, sharing books, games, movies, tears, dreams, worries, jokes, fears and most importantly joy, every single chance we get. I hope everyone is fortunate enough to fall in love with their best friend.

- "The Matt and Mary Love Story" Sparknotes written and published by Matt Calvert, Revised by Mary Burgess soon to be Calvert

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