When we first met...
Carl's version AKA THE TRUTH: We first met in 2014 or 2015 (neither one of us can remember the exact year) at a Notre Dame alumni event. No, Carl did not go to Notre Dame, but his younger brother, Jarrod did and Carl just so happened to join Jarrod and his best friend, Darius at this event. Thinking back, Carl wishes he wore Michigan gear, but we digress. At the time, Carl, Darius, Marvin and other friends went to Chicago to hang out and that was that. No, there were no fireworks. Carl was in a relationship and not looking and Marvin was also living his best life. Marvin returned back to Arizona to continue working on his PhD and Carl moved to Michigan to begin dental school. No funny business took place.
Fast forward to 2019. Carl moved to San Francisco to begin his residency at UCSF and was super excited to be in a new place. In October of 2019, again, Carl just so happened to go out with some friends in Oakland, CA! After some dancing and some drinks, Carl spots this guy form the corner of his eye who looks familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on how he knew this person. He drank a little more "liquid courage", text his friend Darius to see if this was the guy from 2014/2015 and just walked over to the guy... who did happen to be Marvin! Marvin had just moved to Oakland that week!!
The two connected and said they'd keep in touch and ended up hanging out every weekend. The rest is history! 4 years later and we are still going strong! Except on college football Saturdays where we become enemies.
GO BLUE!
Marvin's version AKA THE REAL TRUTH: Carl's version is pretty close, but like most written histories reflects the perspective of the conqueror. If Marvin debates his truth does that make him the conquered?....clearly we digress....Marvin and Carl met while Marvin was visiting the Chicagoland area for the wedding of an ND classmate. Those days Marvin was quite the party animal and after surviving the open bar, he was looking for more post-wedding drinks and dancing. Darius (Carl and Marvin's mutual friend) was happy to oblige and invited Marvin out for a night on the town after the wedding festivities. Marvin and Carl met and the rest of the written history is undisputed.
Go Irish!
When Marvin and Carl reconnected in October of 2019 Marvin instantly knew that not only was Carl his "good thing", but that his days of living single were numbered. In fact the next day after reconnecting with Carl, Marvin sent a text to his close friends group chat and stated that "last night he found his husband".
After a short season of "will they or won't they date" followed by another stretch of "will they or won't they move in together", Marvin and Carl entered a long period of co-habituated bliss. Unfortunately this period coincided with a global pandemic, but the extended time at home allowed their bonds to grow and love to take root.
In the fall of 2021 Marvin traveled to South Africa to attend Nkechi and Ami's wedding. Carl who was stuck stateside due to the joys of dental residency began planning for his upcoming residency graduation in the summer of 2022. In a furious bout of overseas text messages to his love, Carl suggested that this graduation could be the opportunity for their respective families to meet for the first time. Marvin agreed! Carl instantly moved on to the next topic on his mind which was sending Marvin examples of engagement rings that he would like. Nod nod...wink wink. Marvin read the subtext and also was very ready to propose. He began planning for this graduation weekend when all the family would be in town. The ring was purchased, the fam was in place, the venue was selected, and Marvin got cold feet. He wanted the moment to feel more special and be just between the two of them. Unbeknownst to him, Carl also felt this way, and those heavy suggestions of a graduation-linked proposal sent via a South African text connection were unfounded. Carl never wanted that! He wanted some privacy.
Marvin's cold feet eventually led him to the fall of 2022. He hired a photographer to stealthy capture the moment at sunset at a beautiful location in SF near the ocean known as Sutro Baths. As Marvin began to propose, Carl saw the photographer from a distance (she was a football field length away btw using a telescopic lens). Carl instantly warned Marvin that they were ruining her sunset shots. After explaining that she was there for them, Marvin dropped to one knee and began his proposal. In keeping with the intimacy of the moment, the details and words spoken will remain a mystery. However, the result was a tear filled "I, do. And I will love you forever."