How We Met

LAUREN: We met for the first time in August 2000 at a Jewish camp weekend sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. Keith was interested in me, but I was dating someone else at the time and, according to Keith, "I just stopped talking to him..." From my perspective...I realized he was interested in me and didn't want to lead him on, so I gently let him down by hanging out with other people there. The following year, 2001, we both decided independently, at the last minute, to return to camp. We had not seen each other since the year before. I was helping to greet people as they arrived, and I saw Keith. I was single this time! We hung out all weekend, and stayed up very late Saturday night, so late that I was afraid I'd fall asleep at the wheel on my drive home. I mentioned this to Keith and he told me he'd ride back with me. (What a gentleman!) On Sunday, we left camp, headed back toward Atlanta, when I suggested we stop in Dahlonega to pan for gold. This, I guess, was our first official date--we panned for gold, and Keith took me out for lunch at a little place called Rick's Cafe. By the time we left Dahlonega and returned to his place, I was feeling very hungover (did I mention I had had too much to drink Saturday night?). I came inside for some water. We turned on the TV, and I sat down and fell asleep. I called my mom, who I was supposed to meet for dinner, and told her I might not make it--I was hanging out with "some new friends" I had met at camp. I ended up staying at Keith's until 11pm. He took my number, forgot to walk me to my car, and I left. When he called me the next day, I was nervous that we might have nothing to talk about. We ended up on the phone for 2 hours. . . and the rest is history!

KEITH: I went to a Jewish singles camp in August 2000. It is just like sleep away camp, except for adults, and it is only for a weekend. We play sports, go swimming, have socials, etc. So a little less than two years ago I met Lauren at Camp Barney. We were hanging out and having a good time on Friday night, and then the next thing I know she had completely ditched me. No explanation, no nothing. She just avoided me for the rest of the weekend. Of course being the stud that I am (in my own mind), I didn't care because I had twenty other women hanging all over me. (OK,..... so I went home alone).

Fast forward one year to Aug of 2001. After lots of prodding from a few of my single friends, I decided to go to camp again. Five minutes after registration, I bumped into Lauren. So I said hello, asked what her name was because I had forgotten, and off I went to mingle with other people. (I wasn't gonna let her blow me off two years in a row). Later that night dinner was served, then we had a social dance/whatever out by the pool, and then somehow I ended up down by the lake with several other couples, or, should I say, several soon to be couples for the evening. I had two women, but I was only interested in one of them, Lauren. So, in a not so subtle gesture, I put my arm around Lauren, and the other one left. Lauren and I talked until about 3am. Then she offered me a cereal bar, and I kissed her. We spent all day Saturday doing our own thing, but when it came to evening events, we ended up together again. On Sunday, I drove home with her, but not before stopping off to go panning for gold. Then Monday I had to leave for work. I was working in Houston at the time, so I called her from Houston, and we ended up talking everyday.