Our Story
Our Story
Our Story
John and I met in 2007 at our advertising agency in New York City. I was a production assistant for the film and video department and John was a senior art director. One random day my boss Trish called me into her office and asked me to take notes during a meeting she was going to be having with John. She was helping John plan for a video shoot coming up. I remember feeling embarrassed because the longer I sat in the meeting, I then realized the product they were discussing was Viagra, and the concept was related around the “hardness scale.” It was during this meeting that John and I made eye contact and that was the beginning of something beautiful.
As the days passed, Trish decided I should go on the Viagra shoot so I could learn more about the industry. It was to take place in Chicago and needless to say I was excited because this was my first work trip! The time came for us to leave for Chicago but Trish fell ill. Although she wasn’t able to go, she sent me to Chicago anyway. I remember sitting in the back of the car service on the way to the airport with just John. It seemed other team members had to cancel their attendance too at the last minute so we headed to Chicago alone. I was definitely shy and nervous, after all I was just a PA and he was a senior art director! But we got to chatting in the car and realized that my Grandma and Aunt Ana lived minutes away from the Deely residence in upstate New York. What a coincidence as I grew up so far away in South Africa!
Once we got to Chicago, we checked into the classiest hotel I had ever stayed in. I was thrilled! Since there was no one else to go to dinner with, John and I headed out. I thought we’d hit up Applebee’s but that was not in the cards. On our way out John, knowing how to travel for work in style, stopped at the concierge desk to ask for restaurant recommendations. The concierge must’ve thought we were a couple because we ended up at the most romantic restaurant Chicago has to offer. (There was even a Frank-Sinatra-type singer accompanied by a pianist!) We drank red wine, ate an amazing meal, and talked the night away.
As the days passed in Chicago, John and I got to hang out a lot more. I remember him texting me silly messages on set because we weren’t allowed to talk as the set had to be quiet. And I remember us going to shop for a replacement button for his winter coat. Chicago was freezing so fixing his coat was high on the priority list. We just so happened to pass a fancy button store and found a good match for John’s coat. John asked me if I knew how to sew. I knew the basics and so attempted to sew the button onto his coat. Once the button was on and John put on the coat, we realized I had messed up. The button was on way too tight and so the coat could not close.
I don’t remember if I got a second chance to fix the button but I did get the chance to meet the most amazing man a woman could ask. Thank you God for blessing my deck of cards, and thank you Trish, for planting the seed of love.
