A date that lasted four years: Part One -- You don't speak english? that's okay, Love is a universal language...

K and I during one of my visits

A few years ago, when I vacationed in the Dominican Republic, I met a super cute guy working at the resort. I stayed for a week, but didn't get the nerve to speak to the guy until the last day I was there.

I mustered up some nerve, and walked over to where he was standing. I looked him straight in his pretty brown eyes and said, "Hi, my name is Sha'ahn. I noticed that you were checking me out all week. I was checking you out too, but I wanted to tell you that I am leaving tomorrow, so I at least wanted to say hi before I left."

He smiled. I smile.

I said, "Well, I know it's pretty bold of me to come over, but I just didn't want to leave before saying something."

He laughed.

I laughed, confused. Did I say something funny? Maybe this was a mistake.

Then he looked at me for a moment and said, "Wait right here."

I was confused. "Okay."

In a minute or two, he returns to where he left me standing, but was now accompanied by this tall Haitian guy dressed in a chef's uniform. The chef said, "Hi, he doesn't speak English, and wants to know what you just said."

I laughed, "What? Well, I guess it doesn't matter, but I told him that I noticed him looking at me all week, and since Im leaving tomorrow I just wanted to tell him goodbye."

The chef translates what I just said to Mr-No-English, who upon hearing my words lit up. He rapidly spoke to the chef in Spanish. The chef turns to me and says, "He told me to tell you his name is K and he thinks youre very pretty. He would like to exchange number with you."

I couldnt help but laugh. "Ummm, he speaks no English, and my Spanish is terrible. How does he suppose we talk? I mean, this ain't gonna work."

The chef translates again, and K gets all animated during his next reply, which was, "My sister speaks English and I can have her translate for me."

I thought to myself that this was ridiculous, but what the hell? I've done crazier things, and besides, I would love to come back to the island one day.

So, we exchanged numbers.

The rest of the story, which takes place over four years I will relay to you on this blog in later posts.