On October 8, 1990, Lloyd Sommerer and Lauren Hofman hosted Casino Night for Concordia College’s homecoming week. We had worked and planned for quite some time on it. (Back story: Lloyd claims that he loved me when he met me. I did not. Sorry, man.) Every so often during our planning he would do some little thing that made my cold, crusty heart crack a little. Even so, we were just friends.
Then, on the night of our grand casino event – which was a 1920’s speakeasy held secretly in the basement of a dorm with professors dressed in appropriate garb hosting gambling games – a dozen roses was delivered down the steps. I was upset because I had not authorized this expenditure, and what the heck were these roses even for? The piano (which was playing awesome ragtime music)??
I turned to my co-host: “What are those roses for??”
Co-host: “They’re for you.”
Me: “Oh.”
I took them and headed to the laundry room to gather my thoughts. (I think best around appliances.)
Um, I guess I loved him.
Wait – yeah. I loved him.
Huh.
Hey, Lloyd. I love you.