A little mascara story--15 years in the making

Then..............


Now.............

How it all started

Where it all began

A love story, by Stephanie Pankewich.........

Once upon a time there was a boy and a girl. Little did they know that their separate lives would be forever entwined with a small bottle of mascara.

It all began one Saturday afternoon 15 years ago, October 29, 1994. There was a young woman, we'll call S, who was all alone in her dorm room wondering why all her friends had left for the weekend and she was all by herself. She took a quick shower and shuffled her way down to her RA (resident assistant, somewhat older student who is the leader of the floor in the dorms) to see if he would be willing to have lunch with her so she wouldn't have to sit all alone. This RA, we'll call W, had been so nice to her since she'd moved in. She had been watching him closely and was disappointed when she saw him walking with a girl to the most recent football game. W and this other woman sat together at that football game, and shared an umbrella when it rained. This made the girl a little sad, but she wasn't sure quite why that was.

S knocked on W's door, and he later admitted she looked like a little like a sad, wet puppy dog--how could he refuse that? So, they walked over to the cafeteria for some lunch. They chose to sit with a group of residents from the dorm, one of which knew S. For some reason, one of them handed her a bottle of mascara that he (yes, a boy had been using the mascara) had borrowed for a Halloween costume asking S to return it to her neighbor. She took that bottle of mascara, not fully understanding what it would represent. This small bottle would help to create the rest of her entire life! S & W finished eating lunch and W was nice enough to invite S to watch the big football game, K-State at Nebraska, in his room. She happily agreed.

As the 2 of them were sitting, watching the game, S decided it would be funny to smear some mascara on W's face. Don't ask why, perhaps she was compelled by a higher power??? W wasn't sure what to think about this, so he grabbed the bottle and smeared some on S's face. Back and forth this smearing of the mascara continued. What a funny thing for 2 adults to be doing to one another! S thought she was being pretty wise, and climbed up on W's bed, which was lofted up high, right next to the ceiling. "That will keep him from getting me", she thought. She sat up on that bed watching the game. Within a few minutes, W climbed up on the bed and attempted to smear her one more time. S put up a bit of a fight. W grabbed S's arms and pinned them down. Then, he stopped, looked deeply in her eyes, and slowly, so slowly bent down and kissed her. It was one of those magical, movie star kind of moments. It was perhaps the most romantic moment of young S's life. This completely shocked S. She was not ready for such a moment. She laid there, wondering what to do. W climbed down out of his lofted bed, and continued to watch the game, occasionally stealing a glance up at S.

Before S could climb down from the tall bed, there was a knock at the door. As W opened the door, S saw that girl that he had sat with at the recent football game. "What was she doing here?" wondered S. As she walked in the door, W introduced her to S, "this is my sister, L." That explained so much! It truly was a relief for S.

S ran to her room and grabbed the camera, something W would eventually understand was just a way of life for S! October 29, and 29 would be a number for them, as they were later engaged on March 29, 29 months after they started dating ;)

That was the beginning of a long, and wonderful life for 2 sweet college co-eds. Their love would continue to grow, and they would be in love forever more. And they lived, happily ever after!

This is NOT the end, but only somewhere in the middle..............