One Plus One Equals Marriage. The Greatest Math Class EVER

The fall of 1987 was a time for healing and a fresh start. During the Spring I had watched a dear friend fight a battle with cancer and in June she went to heaven. With a heavy heart I headed on "My Journey".

Most of my high school classmates were now gone from Columbia and I would be needing to make new friends. I was excited as I walked on to campus that hot August day because I knew God would provide that I would need. I was also excited because the Giants were on the air.

Not long after classes started the Stanislaus Complex Fire started. As a volunteer with the Jamestown Fire Department I was called to a strike team and school was put on hold for a few weeks.While on the fire I was teamed up with the Columbia College Fire students and started to make new friends.

Soon classes were back in session and my life went forward. One day I was standing in the kitchen at the pizza house and in walked Denny Aye the coach of Columbia College basketball. He said " I was wondering if you would be interested in trying out for the Claim Jumpers" Julie Darone was standing there and started laughing at the top of her lungs. He looked bewildered. I said "you know I have not played for a long time so I better not waste your time."

Coach Aye was a great recruiter so he was not going to just give up. He said "Look I have talked to a few people who say you have some skill and a good head for the game.' Again Julie laughed this time she said "he uses his head alright." Another puzzled look by the coach. I told the coach about my head injuries and that I ended up being a cheer leader since I could not play. A few weeks later I was approached to be on the college cheer squad and I could not help but wonder if the coach put the bug in someones ear.

That year went fast. I was on the squad and a few old friends were there as well. Dan Lealos from Jamestown school and Trisha Loring (Crawford) were rounding out the squad. Trisha and I had been friends for years and I absolutely adored her. Trisha was from my 4-H past and we had raised Guide Dogs together. The thing that I admired about Trisha is that she was like pure ivory soap. Always true to her faith and always an example to me and others when it came to making great decisions. She is still that way and Trisha and her husband Rolin have raised their kids the same way.

That year the team went all the way to the California Championship tournament. We lost the championship at the buzzer and ended up 33-3. It was a great run. Late night drives to West Hills in the fog, getting lost on the way to tournaments and the whole time the community supported the team and the squad. The Harris's were also always there in their old VW bus. Dan and Chris were always encouraging us no matter how tired we were and no matter how much homework we had.

At the end of the year I was elected Student Body President so the fall of 1988 was very busy. I was taking a full load and I wanted to get my AA in Liberal Studies and transfer 75 units to a University. I was coaching the cheer team and working full time. I loved cheering but decided that the jumping was adding to my headaches. I was spinning with them and they were not getting better.

In the Spring, I was selected by the California Jaycees as one of their Five Outstanding Young Californians. My friend Wendy Kerr and all my family attended the awards ceremony. I was very humble to stand next the 4 amazing winners and hear their stories. I was helping the 4-H kids as a leader and life was full and busy.

The fall of 1989 would be the year that forever changed my life. I was sitting in my first day of math class ready to ditch as my Giants were on TV and they were making a run for the playoffs. Suddenly she stepped into the room. I heard angels sing and the lights flickered. She was wearing a black skirt, high heals and a colorful top. Her hair was styled up in the front and held in the back with a clip. She had beautiful lips and her eyes were something I could look into forever.

She turned to come down my aisle and I knew I had to think fast. I could see our wedding and our children. We had a little white house with a fence in the front and a dog. Not a cat I am not a cat fan. All this passed through my mind within a  second and I still had no pick up line. So what did I do? I pushed my books off my desk on the floor into her path and smiled.

She said "Really?" Well I thought it was smart. Fortunately, Cindy Jackson was standing there to give me my books back. I would not need them that class because all I could do was look at the beautiful math class girl. When class ended I asked her if I could carry her books and she said "nope I saw how you carry yours." Well I had a funny one to chase.

The next day I was sitting in my office trying to figure out how to use a computer. (Side note I still do that). I was going to print but a teacher had told me about WYSIWYG. (pronounced wizzy wig) I was trying to remember what that meant when suddenly the lights flickered and the angels started singing again and in walk beautiful math girl.

She stepped up to my desk just as I said What You See Is What You Get. She looked at me liked I had lost my mind. You know that look where she raises her eye brow and says "you spent how much on the tickets to the game?" Wait that would come later. She said what? I said "Wizzy Wig" with a big smile on my face. She said "I must have the wrong place I was looking for the ASB office and need to see the president. I said "Its your lucky day I am the president just re-elected." I knew she would be impressed. She said "is there anyone else here that can help me?"

SHE WAS FUNNY!

Beautiful girl:  My name is Krishna and I want to be a Senator.

Me:  Well Krishnana just fill this out."

Krishnana: It's Krishna.

Me; Oh sorry Krishshana.

Krishshana: Its Krishna. Just call me Kris.

Me: Ok Krishna. Kris.

About then my Vice President came in and started talking to Krishna. I was so excited to find out they were friend and Teri was doing a tutoring for math. When Krishna left I told Teri I had to be in that tutoring class for math. Teri said that she thought I knew math but I told her I had to do math because I needed to get married. Teri was confused. Ron was in love. Kris thought I was an idiot. Are we all clear?

A few weeks into October Teri convinced Krishna that we should go out. We could double date with Teri and her husband. Kris agreed. There comes a time in every mans life when he should fall on his knees and sing praises to the mighty awesome powerful amazing God. This was one of those times.

That Saturday I drove all the way to Tuolumne. I knew as a kid it seemed far but when your picking up the future mother of your children it seems like forever. I walked up the steps knocked on the door and waited. Finally, through the glass I saw an arm waving over a recliner for me to come in. It was Bob Krishna's dad waving me in. He took one look at me and went "No Way!" I thought I see where his kid gets it.

Bob had actually been a teacher at Jamestown school and remembered me and my family very well. That was good. Krishna's older brother used to work at Safeway and I remembered him well as he used to dump me in the trash dumpster when I was a kid. This night was only getting better.

Then she walked in the room. I was speechless. My life had changed and I could tell by the smile I had found my girl. We Had a blast. Dinner and dancing and at the end of the night I was standing on her sidewalk giving her a big hug. She said " I had great time." Then she said "by the way your pretty skinny for a guy with such muscular legs." She was a keeper. The whole way home I kept thinking to myself over and over about how she had called me muscular.

That was Saturday October 14, 1989. On Monday October 16, 1989 I went to Modesto and picked out wedding rings. On December 16, 1989 I asked beautiful math girl to be my wife and she said YES. I still cry when I think about that. I was and I am blessed.

On January 12, 1991 with my brothers standing by my side in a candle lite church 500 friends and family members watched me as I promised my great and awesome God that I would honor and protect Krishna. I did it. I married my girl and she was mine all mine.

As we would soon find out it would not be easy. My condition would soon become worse and my road harder to travel. I would now have a life partner that would save my life and she would lead me to the God that would save my spiritual life. We were one and "My Journey" would become my journey and hers too. The days would be difficult but in life God gives us what we need and he gave me Krishna and I would soon see that he indeed gave me what I needed. He gave me a a true friend to help carry the load as I made "My Journey."

Genesis 2:24: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

January 12, 1991
I told Krishna that I think this outfit makes me look muscular!