I didn’t usually agree to blind dates. But my shipmate and good friend since Officer Candidate School, Larry, asked me to join him and his date by escorting her good friend. I acquiesced. We were ready early, so we decided to go to the Officer’s Club at the Destroyer/Submarine piers for a beer on the way to pick them up.

As we were sitting at the bar I glanced over to a room where there was a lot of activity, but more interestingly, and a lot of young ladies milling about. It was the monthly gathering of the “Emblems” club, who were putting on a dance for Junior Naval Officers that particular night.

Sitting at the welcome desk making out name tags was a vision! I asked Larry to excuse me for a moment, strode over, and in my best Sean Connery voice said, “The name’s Hood, Al Hood.” I fumbled around with more small talk for a minute until I summoned up enough courage to ask her to dance. After that first dance I pardoned myself for a moment, walked over to Larry and in one of the most caddish moments of my life said, “I won’t be going on that date with you.”

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Happy 45th  anniversary to my lovely wife Patty! I love you.