Two Pisces Swimming: How We Met

(Almost) two years since they wed, it's now time to update how and where Franz and Sarah met.

Oh, the summer of 1996. Some of the top hits were Killing Me Softly (Fugees), Wannabe (Spice Girls), Virtual Insanity (Jamiroquai), and How Bizarre (OMC). Independence Day was killing it at the theaters, the internet was about to get huge, and while Charles and Diana were announcing their divorce, two Pisces swam up to each other and their lives changed forever.

It was August of 1996, when Sarah and Franz happened to cross paths at Birchwood Pool in Palatine, IL. Their annual pool passes allowed them to frequent the pool for day and night swims throughout the summer. Franz would bike a few blocks (.6 miles) to the pool while Sarah would bike several (1.7miles) with her friend Holly. The two never ran into each other while locking up their bikes or waiting in line to get into the pool- only in the deep end of the pool.

Sarah recalls Franz in long swim trunks with a white background and her in a checkered black and white bikini with boy shorts. She remembers hanging out in the deep end with Holly and seeing two guys jumping off the diving boards- Franz and his friend Brian. Holly mentioned that she knew Franz from early childhood and that he was really nice. Every time Franz would jump off the board Sarah and Holly would yell his name and then go under the water so he couldn't see who did it. Totally typical of 14 year olds, right?

She can't remember if this was a one day event or if this dragged on for a week or all summer as memories do end up changing over time, but it's still a fond time for Sarah- swimming with Holly, biking a lot, meeting a boy, and being so carefree. Eventually, Franz swam to Sarah when Holly was elsewhere in the pool and asked her to go out with him. This was the first time they had ever even spoken to each other! Did he even know her name? In true Sarah fashion, she said 'no, I don't even know you,' and swam away to go tell Holly. Holly told Sarah she should reconsider because 'Franz is really nice!' Minutes later, Sarah swam back to rejected Franz and told him she would go out with him.

This is how Sarah remembers meeting Franz. Franz may need to chime in with his version. Holly may have other details as well. But the above is how Sarah remembers meeting her future spouse- How Bizarre!