Last week, we shared the stories of how our parents met. From Ami’s parents—who met at summer camp—to Kate’s mom and dad—who bonded over Shakespeare in the Park—you guys immediately connected and shared your own parents adorable stories. We noticed a couple of startling similarities in so many of the tales shared—for one, that people used to get married at a much younger age. That’s not entirely surprising—but it is rather shocking that so many stories involved couples getting engaged after only six weeks, and married after only six months. It seems the courting and engagement period was typically much, much shorter than it is now. And what’s more, from your stories anyway, most of those couples seem to still be happily married today. Just something to consider.
More than 70 of you told your parents story, and we’ve selected our 10 favorites for you to read. And if you haven’t told your tale already, feel free to share it in the comments!
Credit: pixelheadphoto digitalskillet/Shutterstock
Kitty Love
My dad was (and still is) a fairly socially awkward man. He was an officer in the Navy and my mom was a civilian working at a Navy base. My dad was transferred to the same building my mom worked in—a large warehouse style office building. My mom was on the welcoming committee and her photo was on the board by the entrance. My dad thought she was cute but being the awkward guy he is he sent his secretary to ask my mom on a date instead of going himself. My mom told my dad’s secretary that if my dad asked for himself she would go on a date with him but she wouldn’t say yes to a request from his secretary.
A few weeks went by and my dad didn’t make a move. Then someone brought in a box of kittens, knowing that my mom was an animal sucker and wouldn’t let them take the kittens to the shelter. My mom decided she was going to introduce herself to my dad with the excuse of seeing if he wanted one of these kittens. However, every time she tried to walk across the office building with one of the kittens someone would stop her and ask if they could have it. She got down to the last one and hid it under her jacket and took it to my dad’s office. My dad said he would love to have a kitten and asked if he could come pick it up from her house after work. When he arrived his car was filled to the brim with cat stuff—toys, food, a bed, etc. My mom thought that was the sweetest thing she had ever seen and knew that my dad was a good guy. The went on their first date later that week (on my dad’s birthday) and got engaged six weeks later (on my mom’s birthday). They have been happily married for 29 years and while Dorito (that original kitten) died of a birth defect shortly after my mom gave him to my dad, their next two cats preceded my sister and me into the world. —WMLizzie07
Car Parts Are A Girl’s Best Friend
My parents met in a dance club in the late ‘70s. My dad bummed the $5 cover from a friend, and then asked my mom’s friend for money to buy her a drink. For whatever reason my mom was attracted to him, and they began a non-serious relationship. He was working on her car one day when they decided to grab some dinner. He asked her what she wanted and she jokingly responded “diamonds.” So he went out and bought an engagement ring…in his oil-covered overalls. They’ve been married 32 years this October, and my mom is still mad that the sales guy talked him into a smaller diamond! —beckytheiceboxoshea
The Conan Sleeps Tonight
My mom went to the Boston Conservatory and my dad went to MIT. Before they met my mom went to a frat party, and my dad happened to be a part of that fraternity. She didn’t meet him that night, but she did see a sign on a door that said “Shh! Conan is Sleeping” She thought, “wow the guys here are obnoxious, I bet Conan is some jerk.”
Sometime after that my mom was sitting on some steps somewhere around the dorms when a puppy ran up and hid under her skirt. My dad came after it and introduced himself, my Mom asked what the dog’s name was and he said Conan. My mom started laughing, and my dad thought she was making fun of the name but she explained that she saw the sign. She thought it was cute that my dad cared about animals like that.—lametastic
Source: Pinterest
The Right Fit
My mom and dad both play pool and met when my dad asked my mom to be his partner in a game.
They hit it off and my mom, who was 21 and married at the time, couldn’t get my dad out of her mind. She went back to the bar and told the bartender, “You know that Indian guy that comes in here . . .tell him I’ll be here Friday night and if he doesn’t show up, I’m never coming back.” My dad showed up and the rest is history. They’ve been married and in love for 30 years.
My dad was sort of a traveler and ladies man and said that when they hugged that night after winning their game, no woman had ever fit in his arms the way she did and he knew right then she was the woman he was going to marry. —Anon
The Inmates Marrying In The Asylum
My parents met while working at a psychiatric hospital. It was my dad’s 20th birthday, and his first day on the job as an orderly. My mom was working there while getting her master’s in psychology. My 6’2” dad had long hair and a beard and was wearing combat boots and ripped jeans when he pushed through the double doors into the cafeteria. My 5’2” mom, thinking him a patient, grabbed a coworker and whispered “if he loses it, you’re getting him”. 33 years and 2 kids later they’re still together. —wakawakagirl
A Shot at Love
My mom worked in a low-paying, sweatshop-like factory job as a single parent. She was very poor, so doing something fun on the weekends consisted of renting a movie and making dinner with one of her older friends from work, Sue. One weekend, my mom was at Sue’s house for dinner and a movie when Sue’s former foster child showed up, injured from the Marines. My dad (obviously said foster child) cared more about his foster parents than his real parents, so he came home to her. When he showed up, my mom and dad ended up getting into a shooting contest. My mom grew up a very skilled hunter, and my dad was fresh out of the Marines. Their contest was to see who could shoot the bottle caps out of the high branches on the tree. My mom blew my dad out of the water with her marksmanship, and they started dating after that. —theattack
Source: HealthyWay
Of Mountain Dew And Men
My parents met in Dallas during the summer of 1982. He had just moved from Michigan, and she from Minnesota. She worked overnights at the 7-11 right by the body shop he worked at, and the first time he met her, (not being used to this kind of heat) she had fallen asleep in the cooler while restocking. So he tapped on the glass to wake her up, put his arm through the shelves of soda, shook her hand, and introduced himself. After that he always stopped in twice during her shift. Once to buy booze at the start, and again right at the end to pick up a Mountain Dew to wake him up on his way to work. He was interested, but she was already engaged, so they just became good friends.
Two years into this friendship, as her wedding date was drawing near, she found out she was pregnant. (By her fiance, my mom is a lady thankyouverymuch.) So she excitedly tells hubby-to-be the good news and he tells her, “Now isn’t a good time to have a kid, so take care of it, and we’ll try again later. When we’re BOTH ready.” She said that she fell out of love with him that instant, and walked out. Her friends told her she was crazy, and her family threatened to disown her. She was bringing a lot of shame to her good catholic family by not marrying the father of her child. The only person who didn’t try to talk her out of it was my dad. So she stayed with him, and a month later he proposed to her. They had never been on a single date. She felt blindsided, she had never thought of him this way, and couldn’t give him an answer. So he asked her again a few weeks later. No answer. Again. Still no answer. He asked her at least a dozen times when she finally told him, “If you stand by me when this kid is born, you put your name on the birth certificate, and agree to raise him as your own, I will marry you.” My grandmother tried to convince my dad not to marry a “soiled woman,” but he put her in her place. On April 7th 1985, my oldest brother was born. My dad was in the room holding her hand the entire time. My dad’s name went on the birth certificate and my brother was named after his real father, the one that stood by her and ended up raising him. On June 25th 1985 they got married in Minnesota over the source of the Mississippi River, in front of both of their families. Growing up, none of us kids knew that my dad wasn’t our oldest brother’s biological father. They sat us all down a few weeks after he turned 18 and told us. The only thing it’s changed is how much respect we have for our parents. They made the right choice instead of the easy one. Because we grew up with this perfect example of true love, I know not one of us will ever settle for anything less than what we deserve. 26 years later they are still the most in love couple and bravest people I have ever known. —armordoll
We Can’t Even Believe This Is Real
My father saw my mother walking down the street and drove his newly custom painted car up the curb and through a barbershop glass plate window. They were married for over 50 years. —Sandrielle
Jailhouse Rock
My parents met in jail. Literally. My dad was a young policeman and my mom was the dispatcher’s roommate. The dispatcher’s dad was the police chief and my mom was mouthing off to him, so he put her in the drunk tank. My dad got her out. Thirty years later, they’re still together. —toenailtapper5
The Computer Connection
My mom and dad met in a computer class in the late 70’s. My dad is a little awkward, and a complete prankster, and would mix up her punch cards for assignments to get her to talk to him. Needless to say, mom was not amused, and spent most of the semester mad at him. It was only when my dad’s roommate threatened to ask my mom out that he finally asked her on a date. The were married 6 months later, and have been married for 32 years. —Rebecca
Original by Julie Gerstein
