Going into my second year of work
with the Capitals, I felt totally adjusted to my environment but was missing
that special someone or some furry little creature to share my world together.
I started off by buying a puppy. I found one for sale from a dog owner that was
leaving the area on a military job transfer and he offered me his Black Cocker
Spaniel by the name of BOGY CHARLES for $50 dollars. I happily bought this
puppy and drove Bogy back home. We quickly became an inseparable pair. He was
spoiled terribly with four walks a day and loved all of the new attention that
he was getting. I could tell that he was left alone for most of his young life
until we were united in 1981.
I mentioned in my last piece how
honored I was to be able to work on the NHL All-Star Game project that our
Capitals’ organization put together in 1982. Going back seven months prior, the
most significant piece of mail in my lifetime had arrived at the Capital
Centre. It was on an off day Saturday. I decided to drive over to the arena on
the date of August 6, 1981 to catch up on some game-day work and also help sort
out the thousands of pieces of mail that would be piled up inside our office mailroom. What made me go back there on this particular
day? I’ve never done it before in the first year-and-a-half that I had been
working for the Caps. FATE? Yes, I believe in that four letter word all the
way!
When I was done sorting out the
mail, I took all of the letters addressed to Roger Crozier and to the PR
Department and went back to my desk. Slicing open the letters, I came across
one from a young lady name Wendy Sampson in Minneapolis, MN. She was seeking
advice on how to get into sports journalism. I answered her letter and offered
up feedback. It was a handwritten note on team stationary.
Wendy was 21 and a senior in
college. She quickly responded to my note and offered up “thanks” for being the
only NHL team out 21 clubs to correspond with her. I then wrote Wendy back and
acknowledged her one more time and asked if she would stay in touch. In between
our next communication, Wendy apparently told her Mother that she had the vibes
that somewhere in her future we could be meeting and possibly be married?
Another month had flown by and during this time I was told by my landlord to prepare to vacate my condo because they
were going to sell the property and paint the inside walls.
This one day I arrived home from
work, a crew of painters had invaded my condo and were sprucing up the walls. Bogy’s
fur had splotches of white paint all over. So he and I went outside for a
walk. We had a swimming pool nearby to
my home that was exclusive for all condo occupants and it had a pay phone open
for people to use (back in those days we had no cell phone, computers, etc.) I
called the phone operator and asked for Wendy’s home number (since I had her
street address and city). Once the operator connected me, I phoned Wendy. It
was our first live chat. She was somewhat surprised but I could tell, so happy
to hear from me! We talked for a very long period of time and it was a
conversation that made me think she was the ONE! When we hung up from one another, I quickly
called my Mom and told her about Wendy and I wanted her to know then that there
is a strong possibility we could get married someday!! My Mom didn’t know what
to say to me other than “Jim, you don’t even know her, why would you say that?”
I said: “Mom, my whole life has been walking through the back door. I just have
this feeling in me that Wendy is the ‘One’ and I wanted to tell you this now so
you’re not shocked when it does happen!”
From that day forward, Wendy and I
both exchanged handwritten letters or Hallmark greeting cards pretty much every
single day until we were to finally meet in person in February, 1982. As we got
to know more about one another, there was no doubt in my heart and mind that
Wendy was that special someone I was destined to meet and for us to spend our
lives together!
Once we got to January, 1982 and within
a month of our meeting for the first time, I suggested to Wendy by phone that
we should go outside on a particular night, look up into the stars and make a
“Wish” at the exact same time. We would then open each other’s wishes when we
met. As we neared our meeting date, I finally
told my office colleagues and Capitals’ hockey players that I was going to ask
Wendy to be my wife! It was grief
central from the staff members! However, many of the players – especially the French
Canadian guys - became my personal “relationship advisors” and encouraged me to
follow my heart all the way!! I remember the chats I had with my favorite
Capitals’ player Gaetan Duchesne. He was just 19 at that time and had this very
soft voice. The ladies in the office adored him! He would always come by my
desk to get updates on Wendy. When he did, he’d look up at the ladies nearby to
me with this wide grin on his face and say out loud in his heavy French accent:
“Zih-Meeeee, don’t you listen to dose ladies. Joo follow jore heart!”
I called Wendy’s Mom in late January,
1982 to get her daughter’s ring size (which stunned her I am sure). I remember the
quietness on the other end of the phone line and then these words were stated …
“Oh My God, You’re Not Kidding!” I went out on my own and purchased Wendy’s
engagement ring without ever having met her! Despite some people telling me how
crazy I was, I knew every little detail about Wendy. We had the same beliefs
from top-to-bottom! I knew in my heart that I didn’t need to go through a series
of dates to confirm my feelings!
I told Wendy that my Caps’ owner was
giving me a week off of work following the February 9th NHL All-Star
Game so that is when we had scheduled our first meeting. I picked up Wendy at the D.C. National Airport
on Feb. 13, 1982. It was nervous feelings for both of us I know, especially for
that first moment we came together. But after the long embrace, hug and a kiss,
I knew once more that SHE WAS IT! There never was a doubt!
We spent the next few hours touring
Virginia and areas of D.C. before heading to my new apartment in Upper
Marlboro, MD. We were exhausted and emotionally drained from the months of
anticipation. When she unpacked her suitcase, Wendy took out my wish and I did
the same for hers. I took them both and placed the wishes underneath my living
room couch where I had an alarm clock all set to ring at 12 Midnight the turn
of Valentine’s Day morning! We both fell asleep in each others arms on the
couch and yes, the alarm clock did its job and woke us both up.
I rose first and got down on one
knee. I quickly asked Wendy to open up my “Wish!” It simply read: WILL YOU MARRY ME? Before she responded, Wendy then asked me to
open up her “Wish!” It also read the
same four words: WILL YOU MARRY ME!! That
is how we proposed to each other! Before her arrival, I had recorded Wendy’s
favorite music on a special cassette and played this right afterwards to fill
the air. Yes, we had our first dance. We then called both of our Moms and
shared the news of our plans to be married!
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