When I met you- Submitted to Chicken noodle soup for the soul

This is a story on how I met the love of my life and how we both surprised each other with a simple gesture of removing our hats. 

“So there is this guy.” 

“A guy?” 

“Yea he shops here. Look I know I am new so I will get to know him eventually anyway but like what's his deal? I noticed an accent. It’s kind of attractive.” 

“Oh him, he is from South Africa, super weird name, and he comes in every weekend so you will definitely see him.” 

1 week later 

“Hey you're the guy?” 

“The guy?” He responds with raised eye brows chuckling before adjusting his beanie on his head. Winter in New York is so cold everyone has to wear hats, even the blond cashier. 

“It’s stupid but I saw you leave the other day. I wanted to introduce myself. I’m Persephone. I hear you are from Africa. What’s it like working here after growing up there?” She nervously pulls at strands of hair before handing him his product.

“Oh you know. Cold.” He laughs again and she finds it to be infectious. “I’m Ockert. So did you grow up here?” 

“Yea.” 

1 week later 

“So you like writing?” He had been talking with her for over 30 minutes. 

“Oh yea. It’s calming and I feel crazy sometimes but I just think about so much so fast. It’s like boom boom BOOM!”  They both laugh and their eyes keep catching. It’s a conversation that could last a lifetime and still not be long enough.  

“You should send me that story you were telling me about.” 

“For real? Yea I mean I could email it to you.” A pink sticky note is memorialized forever in a box of trinkets and things. 

1 week later 

“I wish I could talk to you during the day, my job is so boring, can I have your number?” 

1 week later and some text messages. 

“I could go on a date with you but we don’t know what we actually look like.” 

‘What do you mean?” He perked up with an oddly straight spine.

“I’ve never seen you with your hat off.” She smirked ear to ear.  

“You haven’t!” He was more shocked than surprised it was cold after all we surmised. “Hold on, you're going to love this.” And in one slow motion, a hesitant one if anyone dared to notice, he removed his hat. “I’m bald. Your turn” 

“You’re bald.” She nodded back enthusiastically snickering within. “That’s okay” she reassured then quickly pulled off her hat. “I am not a blond, it's just the ends that are still bleached.” We laughed until the rest was history.