Stacy, Ms. Independent, and Shawn, Mr. Never Going to Be With Anyone Again, met at the American Legion Post 252 in Seminole.

Stacy's version: My parents were in town visiting and for years they have always loved going to the Legion for the fish and live music on Friday nights. Since I moved, I would go to both the Madeira Legion on the water, and started going to the Park legion more after meeting a fellow Wisconsinite, Rashelle, who also moved to FL around the same time I did and went to the Park legion often.

This Friday in April my parents and I were in the hall, enjoying the cocktails and fish and more cocktails. I know this because after a few drinks I have a very bad habit of sneaking a cigarette. At 46 years old I still felt like I needed to hide it from my parents so I took my baggie with two cigarettes in it up to the bar where I ran into Rashelle’s Aunt Pam. At the time I had been meeting people, online dating, and trying to be as social as possible in my new city. Pam knew I had been on a few dates with someone and asked, "I know you are dating a guy named Sean, how is it going?" I told her it wasn't really going anywhere and I was probably going to end things. I was practically knocked off my chair when the guy on the other side of our friend Randy leaned over and said, "Well that's because you are dating the wrong Shawn." WHO ARE YOU?!?!?! I had never seen this guy at the legion before but man, that one sentence took my breathe away a little, so much that as I was trying to play it cool, I went to light my cigarette and put it in my mouth backwards. This new Shawn came over, took the cigarette out of my mouth, turned it around, lit it for me, and gave it back. DAMN! I was impressed. But trying to play it cool, I only took a few drags, put my cigarette out, said nice meeting you, and went back in the hall to my parents. I told my mom right away I just met this guy with really dreamy eyes who I think was just hitting on me. She told me to go get him (thank you liquid courage), so I went up to the bar, grabbed his hand and took him to meet mom and dad...within the first 5 minutes of us meeting each other! Dad shook his hand, mom turned around and said, "Wow, he does have dreamy eyes!" and at that point I didn't know if I was embarrassed or giddy. After exchanging some small talk, Shawn told me he had to take his friend Randy home so before he left I asked if it would be too forward for me to put my number in his phone, he handed it to me and right there in front of my parents, I was trying to flirt like a schoolgirl.

I had family in town for the next few weeks, Shawn and I would text briefly, and we would see each other occasionally at the legion (where I would try to flirt but he was oblivious), but he told me to enjoy my time with my visitors and we could always connect once everyone was back in Wisconsin.

Time finally came and I decided to shoot him a text asking if he wanted to meet for drinks the next day. He asked what time, and I said about 5:30 and he asked if he could make dinner reservations instead. The next day, in the pouring rain, he picked me up and took me to Salt Rock where we nervously had our first date. 2 years to the date later, I get to marry my best friend!

Shawn's version: It was Friday the 14th of April 2023, the night that changed the way I look at my future.

So, Randy and I were sitting at the bar at Post 252, typical Friday night, not much going on. I happen to look up and see this smile and it started walking in our direction. As she approached the corner of the bar where Randy and I were sitting, she started having a conversation with a lady known as Aunt Pam. It was clear to say this smile stood out and it got my attention from far away and it was even better now that she was closer.

They began their conversation, and I noticed a small little baggie she put on the bar that contained 2 cigarettes. It was obvious to see that some drinks were consumed which made this even funnier. During the conversation with her and Aunt Pam, Pam asked the name of the person she was dating. After saying his name was Sean and saying they had been on about 4 dates and it wasn't really going anywhere, something inside of me took control and blurted out, "That's because you are dating the wrong Shawn". I wasn't, and didn't plan on, looking for any type of encounter or relationship but something about this beautiful woman attracted me heavily.

After saying that, I noticed it got her attention. With that she reached into the baggie on the bar and began to light a cigarette. I noticed she put it in her mouth backwards which was another opportunity I had to take. I reached for the cigarette, lit it for her, and returned it to her. In my mind, that was the first kiss that she didn't know about. After a couple of puffs, she was overwhelmed by what just happened, tried to put her cigarette out but was so flustered Aunt Pam had to grab it and put it out for her. Then she disappeared. Randy, in his confusion, looked at me and asked, "Who the hell was that"...meaning about me. I replied, "I have no idea, but I do know I will see her again". And I was correct, within a 5–10 minute period I was being led to the hall to meet Mom and Dad.

And that is how my future started on a night that was totally against anything I thought would ever happen again.

8 months later, with her family in town for Christmas, knowing she was the one, I asked her to become my wife.