Magic Amid the Madness: Where We Started, part 1

Where it began
I can't begin to knowin'
But then I know it's growing strong
Was in the spring
And spring became the summer
Who'd have believed you'd come along?

—"Sweet Caroline," written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond

Hi, I'm Scott. And I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but 2020 has not been a "normal" year. A global pandemic, an unprecedented worldwide protest movement against institutional racism, the West Coast literally on fire, "murder hornets" a thing for like two days...and yet, even as everything is getting FedExed to hell in a handcart, there are still moments of joy and triumph that give us reason to keep pushing on. Little everyday miracles, like two people meeting and falling head over heels in love.

After taking some time to find peace following the end of a once-promising relationship, I decided I was ready to give dating another shot in mid-August. That plan sorta went on the back burner when I got the news that my grandfather had slipped away in his sleep after a brief illness. My OkCupid account was neglected for about a week as I flew to Ohio for the services and to be with my family. I worked through my grief by taking photos--with my camera and his, a vintage Minolta.

The day after I returned to Los Angeles, I saw a profile on OkC that grabbed my attention. Christine. A young woman from Torrance, near the LA harbor. A freelance photographer with a kind smile. I sent a message introducing myself and asking about what she shoots on--not expecting a response because I figured it would be drowned out by fuckboys and bots. Imagine my surprise when she responded the next night! We spent a brief moment that weekend talking about our gear, what inspired us to take up a camera...and then she basically said, "I hope you get this in time, but I'm deactivating my account for the week and maybe coming back on Friday, but I also didn't expect you to message me, so this is awkward." A quick response, an exchange of numbers, and now we're texting rapid-fire and ultimately talking on the phone.

2 hours and 42 minutes

And it didn't feel like anywhere near that. It felt less like two people trying to get to know each other and more like two old souls catching up on what they'd missed.

The morning after that surprising marathon, I discovered that my grandpa's camera might have some mechanical issues, so I found a repair shop in Culver City that would take it. That shop is about a mile from Johnnie's Pastrami, one of my favorite eateries in the LA metro. I told the lady about this and that I might send her a pic of my lunch. She laughed at the idea that it might make her jealous, and I responded with eight words that changed the whole day:

"Crazy idea...join me and see for yourself?"