Shannon here: Mark David Pullen shares how his real-life romance bloomed. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for his Middle Grade novel, The Oasis King. Heads-up parents on the look out for clean kid reads. Deadline: Sept 9th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Mark:
Boy Meets Girl.
Jeremiah 29:11
When I think back, I can recall only a total of five experiences and interactions with “The Little Blonde-Haired Girl.” My very first interaction occurred when we sat together on the Pirate Ship at The Great Escape amusement park in Lake George, New York. We were there on a field trip with our school, doubling as the state-wide chorus competition. I was an eighth-grader. She was in seventh and new to the school and my younger sister’s circle of friends. Anyway, I don’t think we even sat together, just beside each other. There is a difference. Fast-forward to the end of the school year, which is only a couple of weeks later, and my sisters and I are pulled from the district to be homeschooled.
More than a few years pass, and while my younger sister is home from college on summer break, she insists that she, my father, myself, and her friend go to the drive-in movies. The friend is none other than “The Little Blonde-Haired Girl” except grown-up. Mostly. She’s cute, and as a 17-year-old young man, I think, “Huh, who would have thought?” But I’m not her type. How do I know? Because all she keeps talking about is Channing Tatum and how he’s so dreamy, and she would never settle for anyone but him or someone identical. That aint me. We go to the movies, and life goes on.
Fast forward a year, Sis is again home and wants to bring a friend to church. You guessed it. The “Little Blonde-Haired Girl.” She’s cuter still, and this time we are both a little older and a little more mature, and we can actually communicate. She’s smart and funny but also quite ditsy and scatterbrained. But there is something there now. We go to church as a family and then to lunch. We sit next to each other, chat a little, then, just like all the times before, our time together ends, and once more, life goes on.
Sis comes home from college for good that summer and works in the area. I’m working now, too, at a job I enjoy but I am not totally sure of as a long-time career. Sis invites me to dinner with her and a friend after work, and I oblige. I show up in my truck, wearing filthy work clothes and most certainly stinking to high heaven. It’s “The Little Blonde-Haired Girl!” But wait, who is this guy? I’m now a very uncomfortable fourth wheel at a restaurant with my sister and her friend, who is on her first date with this new potential boyfriend. To say I was bummed would be an understatement. “The Little Blonde-Haired Girl” Was on a date, and this guy, to me anyway, was less than impressive. I’m a pretty good judge of character, and this guy was sneaky, fake, and a liar. I could tell all these things immediately, but she liked him—a far cry from Channing Tatum. I think to myself. I don’t know Channing Tatum, but I don’t imagine he’s anything like this guy was, definitely not in the looks department. Dinner ends, and yet again, life goes on.
A year later, on a sunny early fall afternoon, I invited my dad to a movie on my dollar. We go to the movies. I pay for the tickets, pay for the popcorn, and head to the restroom. I get to the theatre in time for the trailers to start, and my father hands me the popcorn bag with a smile. Empty. I had been gone for 3 minutes, and my dear old dad had inhaled the entire bag of popcorn. “Go get us a refill.” He chokes back a laugh. Begrudgingly, I walk back to the candy counter, and no one is there. I hear a cough from the ticket booth and magazine pages turning. You wouldn’t believe it, but it was her, “The Little Blonde-Haired Girl.” And she looked less than thrilled to be disturbed when I ask for service until she recognized that I was the one standing there. Then I knew something was different. She looked at me in a way I couldn’t describe, but I knew in my heart and mind that I was looking at her in the same way. We chatted and hugged, then talked some more before I remembered my father was waiting for me. I watched the movie and asked for her phone number on the way out.
After that, we spent every college break and holiday together. A year later, we are engaged. A year after
that, we were married. Now, married for 11 years, we have a house, two kids, a dog, and a world of “big people” headaches and problems. But more importantly, we have a deep, endless love for each other and a tremendous amount of love and thanks to God for bringing us together after only five small, seemingly uneventful, life-changing interactions.
Question for Readers: Do you have early memories with someone who eventually would take on a significant role in your life?
About Mark: Mark is the author of middle grade series The Oasis Chronicles. His debut novel, The Oasis King, was released this year and his second book is headed to print within the year. Being the boy who sought after adventure and escape, he would use his imagination to create strange characters and unique far-away worlds. Some of those strange characters and far away lands cemented themselves into his mind and later became part of the firm foundation for his writing style. He currently lives in Upstate New York with his wife, two children, and crazy pup Toby. Learn more & connect:
David’s Website David’s E-mail: markdavidpullen@theoasisking.com
David’s Facebook Mark’s Instagram
About the book – The Oasis King:
The Oasis King is the first book in The Oasis Chronicles Series. Geared towards middle grade readers, this genre bending novel combines action and adventure with science fiction and fantasy.
When three young boys seeking adventure are transported in the the Valley of the Oasis, a strange and primal paradise, they meet a lone hunter and his dogs who are locked in conflict with the malevolent Stranger, a green skinned man from another time and place. Will the hunter help the boys home before the Stranger closes in once and for all ? The novel contains themes of hope, family, resilience, and faith.
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Thank you for having me on!
Hey Mark. Thanks for being here.
My husband and I met as kids at my grandparents’ house when my family and cousins visited them in the summer one year. I remember a bunch of boys being there and the games we played. He remembers a bunch of girls being there and the same games. But we don’t specifically remember each other.
Five or so years later, we moved back to my parents’ home town. A couple of years later, he changed schools and ended up at mine. It was love at first sight for me. I was extremely shy, so it took him about 6 months and 1 other girl before he noticed me.
We dated all through high school and got married a year after we graduated. Thirty-nine years, one son, and a daughter-in-law later, we’re still going strong.
What a wonderful story , Shannon!
Paternal grandfather.
Sounds like a great series!!!
Aww, such a cute story 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!!
not really
I have a winner! Jennifer Hibdon won the drawing. I appreciate Mark for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.