The Renée Review

13 years ago this November 5, 2005, I met Paul, the man to whom I would marry! We like to celebrate and remember the day we met, so this one is for you Paul – Happy Anniversary!

What are our 13 years of magic together? In short, a year of dating and 12 wonderful years of marriage. But, obviously, it’s much more than that, so I’ll begin at the beginning…

November 5, 1992 – Picture Paul, wandering around the International Business Class lounge for American Airlines at DFW airport. He spots me sitting in the lounge, but never approaches. I had no idea that Paul had ever fixed eyes on me. Ironically, we were both in transit, waiting to board the same American Airlines flight to Paris. Do you believe in fate?

Both sitting on a shared aisle in business class, Paul’s seat was five rows further forward than my own. I eventually became aware of Paul two hours after take off, as he had been noticeably turning in his seat to stare and smile at me – very cute! I smiled back thinking, “He’s pretty handsome.”

On my way to the lavatory, I stopped to admire Paul’s ring, his Air Force Academy graduation ring. The reason I asked Paul about his ring was twofold. First, I used it as an excuse to talk to him. Second, I thought it could be a Super Bowl ring; another story in and of itself.

Paul is a big guy and, on an American Airlines flight back in1986, I sat beside and chatted with a famous Dallas Cowboys football player. Unbeknownst to me, the player was 11-year career Cowboys player and three-time super bowler (1976, 1978 & 1979), Drew Pearson.  During the flight, our conversation was interrupted numerous times. Various people came to say hello and wanted to see Drew Pearson’s ring – I thought Drew was a businessman.  At the end of the flight, I asked Drew, “What’s all this business about your ring?” and “Are all these people friends traveling with you on a convention or something?” As embarrassed, as I was to learn of Drew’s celebrity, Drew seemed equally grateful that I hadn’t a clue, and no; these guys were not traveling with him on a “convention or something." 

It was this encounter that made me zero in on Paul's graduation ring.

While Paul was not in possession of a Super Bowl ring, he at last possessed the courage to approach me. Upon my return from the lavatory, he came over, asked if he could sit in the empty seat beside me, and we chatted, all the way to Paris.

Paul’s travel to Paris would bring him to meet Barkev Djiboghlian’s daughter. Paul’s father Razmig and Barkev were childhood friends in Beirut Lebanon and had hoped for their respective offspring to hook up.

Barkev, a Parisian artist, would be at Charles de Gaulle airport to greet and transport Paul upon arrival. Although Barkev never expected me, he knew the jig was up the moment he saw us. In kind, Barkev very graciously offered me a lift to my hotel. Paul naturally met Barkev’s lovely daughter. She spoke 8 languages, but not a word of English…

Paul and I were married one year and one week to the day we met, so we'll be celebrating again next week as well!  Happy Anniversary Honey, I love you!