Recently the Carlklef Chronicles had an informative, yet controversial, post about Chili’s. Everyone seemed to have strong opinions regarding the food, service, and atmosphere one can expect to find at this eating establishment. Some people seemed to have a less than stellar experience at one time or another. I, on the other hand, have fond memories of Chili’s, particularly of the O’Hare airport Chili’s. This is where I first met Ross. Fond memories, indeed.
As you may already know, Kitty and I are practically life-long friends having known each other from our days of working together at PRA during her all too short career in medical research. We did everything together, from attending lame social work gatherings to touring the zoo for another lame social work gathering. The zoo trip also involved Kitty’s imaginary boyfriend at the time. (I say imaginary because she claims he existed, yet I don’t remember him at all.) Perhaps doing research opened her eyes to all of the potential lawsuits and she thought…hmmm, I should be an ambulance chaser. Whatever it was, she decided to leave her friends and her career at PRA and head to law school at BYU.
Now, you’d think that being a law student would be rather demanding and not leave any time for a social life. Not true for Kitty. She met a guy who she later tricked into marrying her. That guy was Ross. I remember hearing about him and getting an engagement announcement with photo. I even received an invitation to a post-wedding reception. I was not, however, invited to the wedding. Kitty claims it was because non-Mormons aren’t allowed in the Tabernacle. (Or could it be that I was the one that “got away” and it would have been too painful for her to see me there? I guess we’ll never know.) Anyway, Kitty was still in law school and needed to prep for finals so they took a short honeymoon and got right back to the books. A big trip to Spain was planned for the day after graduation.
Despite snubbing me with the wedding invite, Kitty and I remained friends and she said, “hey, Todd, why don’t you come to Spain with me and Ross.” So then I said, “sure, why not.” We planned and planned…well Ross planned. Suddenly, Kitty graduated and the next day the trip began.
I had not yet met Ross at this time. He and Kitty were in SLC and I was in KC. We were to meet up in Chicago and then fly to Madrid. I landed in Chicago first, or so I thought, and waited for them to arrive and call me. I even looked to see which gate would come in at and headed that way to meeting them. Along the way I was walking past the airport Chili’s enjoying the savory aromas when what to my wondering eyes should appear…Kitty. She was sitting with some man, who I did not know, ready to enjoy a delicious meal. Well, I stomped right over there and said, “what the freak? Were you just going to eat without me and leave me for dead?” I’m not sure of the precise wording of her response, but I’m sure it was something along the lines of “yes, yes I was”. Amid the awkwardness of the situation Kitty introduced Ross and I, and the honeymoon began and lasted for the next 11 days. We spent about a solid 24 hours together between the flight (which landed at 7:30am) and the whole day touring Madrid checking things out.
Anyone that has been around Kitty and me at the same time knows that it is a wild ride of delightful entertainment that never gets old. At the end of the day we went to our separate rooms. Well, I did. Ross and Kitty bunked together. Once they were alone, the first thing Ross said to Kitty was “wow, Todd really gets away with a lot”. Of course the next morning the first thing Ross said to Kitty was “just close your eyes, it’ll all be fine” when the alarm clock went off. Ross has a lot of good quotes on that trip. The next week and a half Ross enjoyed eating sandwiches and what he referred to as “herding a couple of cats (or loud Americans)”.
So that is how Ross and I met. No one was ever murdered so I guess it really isn’t all that much like an episode of Hart to Hart. But you do have to admit that was a great show and they should really thing of bring it back.
As you may already know, Kitty and I are practically life-long friends having known each other from our days of working together at PRA during her all too short career in medical research. We did everything together, from attending lame social work gatherings to touring the zoo for another lame social work gathering. The zoo trip also involved Kitty’s imaginary boyfriend at the time. (I say imaginary because she claims he existed, yet I don’t remember him at all.) Perhaps doing research opened her eyes to all of the potential lawsuits and she thought…hmmm, I should be an ambulance chaser. Whatever it was, she decided to leave her friends and her career at PRA and head to law school at BYU.
Now, you’d think that being a law student would be rather demanding and not leave any time for a social life. Not true for Kitty. She met a guy who she later tricked into marrying her. That guy was Ross. I remember hearing about him and getting an engagement announcement with photo. I even received an invitation to a post-wedding reception. I was not, however, invited to the wedding. Kitty claims it was because non-Mormons aren’t allowed in the Tabernacle. (Or could it be that I was the one that “got away” and it would have been too painful for her to see me there? I guess we’ll never know.) Anyway, Kitty was still in law school and needed to prep for finals so they took a short honeymoon and got right back to the books. A big trip to Spain was planned for the day after graduation.
Despite snubbing me with the wedding invite, Kitty and I remained friends and she said, “hey, Todd, why don’t you come to Spain with me and Ross.” So then I said, “sure, why not.” We planned and planned…well Ross planned. Suddenly, Kitty graduated and the next day the trip began.
I had not yet met Ross at this time. He and Kitty were in SLC and I was in KC. We were to meet up in Chicago and then fly to Madrid. I landed in Chicago first, or so I thought, and waited for them to arrive and call me. I even looked to see which gate would come in at and headed that way to meeting them. Along the way I was walking past the airport Chili’s enjoying the savory aromas when what to my wondering eyes should appear…Kitty. She was sitting with some man, who I did not know, ready to enjoy a delicious meal. Well, I stomped right over there and said, “what the freak? Were you just going to eat without me and leave me for dead?” I’m not sure of the precise wording of her response, but I’m sure it was something along the lines of “yes, yes I was”. Amid the awkwardness of the situation Kitty introduced Ross and I, and the honeymoon began and lasted for the next 11 days. We spent about a solid 24 hours together between the flight (which landed at 7:30am) and the whole day touring Madrid checking things out.
Anyone that has been around Kitty and me at the same time knows that it is a wild ride of delightful entertainment that never gets old. At the end of the day we went to our separate rooms. Well, I did. Ross and Kitty bunked together. Once they were alone, the first thing Ross said to Kitty was “wow, Todd really gets away with a lot”. Of course the next morning the first thing Ross said to Kitty was “just close your eyes, it’ll all be fine” when the alarm clock went off. Ross has a lot of good quotes on that trip. The next week and a half Ross enjoyed eating sandwiches and what he referred to as “herding a couple of cats (or loud Americans)”.
So that is how Ross and I met. No one was ever murdered so I guess it really isn’t all that much like an episode of Hart to Hart. But you do have to admit that was a great show and they should really thing of bring it back.
It is a luxurious, hand-made, garment crafted out of the finest baby alpaca wool from the Peruvian Andes. I like to think the cria (official term for baby alpaca) donated its fleece to Locks of Love and those warm, woolen locks will now be keeping my neck toasty all winter long. Thank you little alpaca baby for your sacrifice and thank you Kitty for your excellent needle skills. My neck will be very appreciative all winter.
