How two longtime couples found love in the Seattle area

Seattle Dating Scene features readers’ thoughts and stories about what it’s like to date in Seattle. For our next feature, follow this prompt: Trying to settle an argument with your significant other? Need some guidance on where to have a socially distanced date or need any other advice? Send in your questions to be answered by our columnist Marina Resto, who runs the lively @Dating_in_Seattle Instagram account.

By Thursday, Aug. 5, please email your submissions to dating@seattletimes.com or submit them via Instagram direct message to @dating_in_seattle, and they may be published in a future edition of The Mix.

__________________________________________________________________________

How We Met

We asked readers to submit stories about how they met their significant others. Here are some of your success stories! 

Answers have been edited for spelling and clarity.

Melody and Dan

“It all started in Husky Band (at the University of Washington). Dan played tuba, I played piccolo. I knew him as just a fellow band member for over a year.

Then one day, he hurt his leg during one of our practices. At the next band party he was sitting to the side by himself as the rest of us danced and had a good time. I felt a bit bad that he was all alone, so I went over to talk and provide some company.

We had a great conversation. A couple of weeks later, at another band party (yes, we had a LOT of band parties!) we started chatting again, and this time it led to hand-holding. Sparks were ignited.

We continued to talk and see each other, spending HOURS on the phone and walking back and forth to the other’s residence. We were both Catholic, but I hadn’t been to church regularly for several years. Dan asked me to join him at Mass, and that helped solidify what was started.

We got married on May 30, 1981, and have continued to make music together ever since. Three sons, three grandkids, and numerous ups and downs later — we’ve celebrated 40 years!”

— Melody

Paula and Scott

“In the spring of 1985, I was a student at the law school at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. I lived in an old Victorian house that had been divided into two apartments. I had the upstairs apartment, and was very busy with school, but did notice that the couple living downstairs had moved out. Shortly thereafter, there was a knock on my door.

A handsome, red-bearded man (Scott) and his friend were at my front door. Scott was with a friend of a friend (he barely knew him, but the guy knew Tacoma and was showing him around). Scott was beginning his medical residency at Tacoma General Hospital, and was looking for an apartment. He wanted to know what the house and neighborhood was like. We chatted for 10-15 minutes and they left. As they walked away, the friend of a friend who barely knew Scott said, ‘You are going to marry that girl.’

Scott moved in. We would both come home from long, hard days and sit and talk because we simply didn’t have the time and energy to go out on dates. We discovered we had so much in common, and it was not long before we pried open the door that was meant to separate the two apartments. We lived there for two wonderful years and invited both the friend of a friend and our landlord to our wedding. On June 2 we celebrated our 36th anniversary.”

— Paula