B is for Bennie

     I met a young man named Bennie in the fall of 1984. I was working as a bank teller at Far West Savings & Loan in Almaden Valley, San Jose, California. As a twenty year old teller at a bank, it’s natural to scope out the cute guys who come in to do their banking business. This one day, a handsome guy came waltzing into the bank. He had dark curly hair, blue-green eyes and dimples at his cheeks when he would smile. He was average size, about 5’10” tall...but what really got me was the way he was dressed. He had on a dark pair of jeans, collared checkered shirt underneath a v-neck pull over sweater and a pair of nice sneakers. Yes, I remember. 

    From that day on, he would intentionally wait in my teller line so I could handle his transactions and we would chit-chat. He was also charming in his own way and it intrigued me. One day, I had chosen to wear one of my nicer dresses to work with a pair of matching pumps and he made the comment to me, “My, you look lovely today.” Okay, this guy had some class and I found out through our exchanges that he had graduated from UNR in June of that year, with a degree in Business.  I always found a man with an education appealing. I chose to start working out of High school. That “was” the end of my education up to that point. 

    It was now Christmas time. It was just a handful of us that worked at this branch and we decided to have a little Christmas cheer celebration on the Friday before Christmas. When you work at a bank, the end of a Friday was a reason to celebrate, holiday or not. The bank was closed and my co-workers and I were having some snacks and a glass of wine. Amidst our laughs and banter, Angela says, “Linda, there is someone at the door that I think wants to talk to you.” It was Bennie. I asked my manager if I could unlock the door. And so I did and he asked if I wanted to go out for a little while after my Christmas party and I said, “sure!”

    A plate of shared steamed clams and a cocktail later, we’ve been inseparable ever since.