Henry Flores (HF): I was walking down the hallway, and I noticed the last office in the hallway’s door was open.

Gwendolyn Diaz (GD): And I was sitting in my office, and I noticed this man walking by.

HF: I just kind of looked inside to see who was in there, and I saw a flash of ankle, and I saw this blonde hair, and I went smack dab into the wall.

GD: [laughs]

HF: Well, the very next day, about the same time, I was walking down the hallway again, saw the same door open, I looked inside, and I walked into the wall again in the same identical place. I went running back to my office, and I closed the door, and I said, ”You idiot!” All of a sudden I hear this knock on my door, and I open it, and it’s you! And you just kind of stare at me and say, ”You got a cigarette?”

GD: I was curious ’cause the first time that you bumped into the wall I thought, Hmm … that guy’s a little uncoordinated. But the second time I thought you’d taken notice of the new girl in the hallway.

HF: I gave her a cigarette and she kind of stared at me and turned around, walked away and didn’t say a thing. I said to myself, ”What do I do to … to meet this beautiful woman?” I thought about it for a second, and I said, An ashtray. So I cleaned all the ashtrays in my office, there was three of them.

GD: I remember when you came with the three ash trays and you gave me one to pick, I thought, Hmm … maybe there was something to that bumping into the walls.

HF: We started going out after that, and umm … we went out dancing. I asked permission to kiss you.

GD: And we weren’t terribly young, and I told you something like, you shouldn’t have to ask. You looked at me straight in the eye with a serious look, and you said,  ”I have to warn you … I’m very intense.”

HF: [chuckles]

GD: And I didn’t say anything, but I was thinking, He doesn’t know what intense is yet. And … after what, 17, 18 years, it’s not always perfect, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.