I was active in 4H all my young life. In June 1967, I and about 18 other kids from our area of SE IA were selected to attend National 4H Citizenship Short Course in Washington DC for a week. Three or four counties' kids were traveling via bus together, and there was this guy from the county north of us who blew out a knee playing volleyball the night before we were to head back home, so a couple of my friends and I kinda babysat him till we got home. That summer, he'd wander down to our area on the occasional Sunday afternoon. In that winter, he was going to celebrate his 18th birthday with a nice dinner and dance out with his girlfriend, and asked if I'd go along with a blind date. I accepted. Then, the day of the proposed date, the other gentleman involved backed out. So my knee-injured friend pressed his older brother into subbing back-up. This all took place on December 16, 1967. On December 16, 1974....seven years later, to the day........our first son was born. We were married December 19, 1970. Seems like it's worked out....we observed 54 years last December.