While I was in college, Robin and I decided to go to D.C. for Spring break. We really wanted to go together, but her parents would not approve of us going alone. So we invited another couple, Kevin O’Donnell and his girlfriend. We then talked to my Uncle Dean who lived there and asked if we could stay at his apartment. He said yes and Robin’s parents were satisfied we’d be chaperoned. We drove my 1966 blue VW Beetle all the way there. When we arrived we were delighted to hear Uncle Dean say the apartment is ours, that he would stay at a friend’s house so we could have his bedroom. Yes! So Robin and I, and Kevin and his girlfriend set out to see the sights together. Only thing was the other couple always wanted to sit and eat, and Robin and I wanted to explore. So after a day we decided to split company and allow them to eat to their hearts content, while we traipsed around the Smithsonian, the National Zoo, FBI Building, and the White House. When we got back to the apartment every night, they would usually fight and make-up constantly – a volatile relationship to say the least. In contrast, Robin and I got along extremely well, saw a lot of the sights, and overall had a ball with one another. It was during this trip that we realized that we should be together for the rest of our lives. We were very compatible and truly loved each other’s company. The apartment gave us an opportunity to play house a little. This experience made it clear that we could not only be partners in an intimate way, but also in a domestic way. From that trip on, Robin and I cemented our relationship and slowly moved to our inevitable engagement and marriage.