I Had Mail...

The next day, a Sunday, started out as most do.  I attended church services and visited with friends afterward.  One close friend inquired innocently, "so any new guys this week?" 

I was being honest when I said I was not looking for another relationship anytime soon, but that did not mean that I wasn't up for a free meal with handsome company whenever an opportunity arose.  In my newfound singleness a few months prior, I made the decision that I wanted to experience some meaningless dates and reasoned that there was no better time than the present. 

So it was that moment, in a parking lot in Lexington, KY that I uttered my first words ever about my now husband.  I replied, "Ummm, not really.  A family friend called yesterday and I gave him my e-mail to give to a guy he goes to church with.  There's not really any potential there, though.  The guy sounded like he's probably a project.  I don't even think I'm going to e-mail him back." 

Amanda laughed, "I don't know.  Sounds promising to me."

I returned to my apartment, checked my e-mail, and read this:

Hello Amy,

My name is Johnie Karr, Gary Barrett gave me your e-mail.  I don't really know what to say here, so I guess I'll just tell you a little about myself, an introduction so to speak.

I'm 22.  I work for the local cable company (COX Communications) as a field technician.  My official title is Field Service representative II Developing.  The II Developing means I just got promoted to internet technician, so I work on video and internet, installs, trouble calls, disconnects...any thing out in the field.  It's a job with many ups and downs, but more ups than downs.  For instance, I like the benefits, I don't like the big dogs that try to eat me everyday, I like the pay, but I hate almost getting run over while blocking off traffic.  Sorry, I ramble sometimes.  On top of working for COX I am starting my own company, Data Management Technologies.  It's mostly a database management company.  I build universal and custom data entry software (web-based), like inventory control software, or for a Baptist church I'm building like a college/student program for self registration and allowing students to enroll in classes themselves.  I guess it would be easier for me to say anything that needs a database. 

[I know Gary from church.]  I've known him since I was 5, when I moved to Wichita.  I play a couple roles in the church here in Wichita, I preach every now and then (I said I preach, not preach well), and I maintain the website (www.godsbible.org) 

I'm really not sure what else to write about...I'm pretty shy about meeting new people.

Tell me about yourself and ask any questions....I find it easy to answer questions ;)

On messenger I am the following:

MSN: johniethechef@hotmail.com

Yahoo: lords_word

AIM: johniecooking

Cya,

Johnie Karr

I am not sure if my expectations for this first e-mail were so low that just receiving a message from a coherent male was enough to impress me, or if there was some divine intervention at work even at this early stage, but I read something totally different from what you see above.  Several years later, I honestly don't know why I was so impressed with this first e-mail, or how I read into it (and a second e-mail he sent later that same day in reply to my first response) all that I did.  You may need a double take as well.  What I read was:

I'm the guy Gary Barrett was telling you about.  I'm hard-working and have a great sense of humor.  I'm laid back and cool.  I'm shy, but in a charming way.  I couldn't be a player even if I wanted to be.  While it doesn't sound that impressive to say I'm just a field technician, I've got big dreams and I'm not going to be in this job forever.  I'm going places.  It would be really easy for me to impress you with a lot of technical knowledge I have about programming, but let's just say I'm really smart and wouldn't have any problem with those deep intellectual conversations you enjoy so much.  God is super important in my life, and for brevity, we can just say that we have the exact same spiritual beliefs across the board.  Oh, and in case it's not obvious, I'm not even close to having an unhealthy attachment to my mother.  Just thought you should know.  I'm glad you're able to see all the things my humility prevented me from explicitly saying.

P.S.  When I get married I'm going to do my own laundry and cook delicious gourmet meals for my wife every night.

I was so impressed by his second e-mail that evening (which in my defense the second one mentioned doing laundry and going to the same cooking school as Emeril Lagassi), I read it out loud to my roommate and jokingly asked, "So do you think I should just reply back, 'will you marry me?' "  She didn't say anything.  She just laughed.  I never realized until this moment, typing this, that she probably thought I had lost my mind.  Thinking back, her laugh may have been out of nervousness and awkwardness.  But, as baffling as that initial attraction was, it grew exponentially for both of us from there. 

And I'm sorry to skip ahead, but I do have to say that while not everything I read is completely true, most of it isn't far off the mark.