The caffeinated beginnings of our relationship took place in a small coffee shop in Warwick, NY. In a booth facing the entrance of the café, we spoke for four hours about our favorite blink-182 songs and love of movies. The clatter of cups and background murmurs of other patrons barely distracted me as we took our first steps, or more accurately, seats, as a couple.

Pamela and I spent hours at the Warwick Drive-In theater and its nearby legendary ice cream shop, Bellvale Creamery. Just finding spaces to explore together was enough for me. In the years that followed, we shared birthdays, holidays, and milestones together. Before long, we created traditions and started feeling like a family.

On November 13th, 2022, we traveled to New York City to see The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, Pamela's favorite show. An oversized ring box jutted from the right pocket of my winter jacket. When I insisted that she walk on my left side, she sensed that there was a secret plan for the day, but didn’t say it out loud.

Our destination was a little trail beside Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. I led Pamela off the path near the southern shore of the lake and clumsily presented the ring box to her backwards. That little patch of dirt means something now.

On our way back to the theater, we encountered a poet. Pamela and I shared our story with the writer, Nasimeh, and she tapped on her typewriter for just a few minutes to create this poem:

- James