Linda recalls a chance encounter in the summer of 1963 when she was singing at a drive-in restaurant in Ontario, Canada. A man pulled up beside her car, joined in singing with his guitar, and their interactions continued from there. They went on their first date in December and he proposed on Valentine's Day 1964, though she hesitated, worried it was moving too fast. They married just 5 months later in July 1964 and will celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary this coming July.

1. Proudly Presents
Our Once Upon A Time.
A love Story written by Linda Sutyla

2. It was the summer of 1963, in a small town called Red Lake in Ontario.
I had only been there for about a year. I was working as a telephone operator.

3. I was on a double date with a guy and my
girlfriend was in the back with her date.
We pulled in to a Drive In, you know, where
you pulled in and a girl came out to your car
to take your order?

4. We were laughing and talking and started singing.
Yes singing, at the Drive thru.
All of the sudden this car pulled up beside us on the passenger side.

5. This guy got out of his car, looked at
us singing, and grabbed his guitar out
of the backseat and started strumming
along to our song.
He stood right beside me, when we
finished our song,
I looked at him and said “Can you play
Blue Velvet?” (or something like that)
He replied “I’ll play it if you sing it”
So I did.

6. By the third song, the car that I was in just
zoomed out of there, leaving this guy
standing there with a guitar in his hand.
I never knew his name.

7. This happened a number of times.
Finally this guy started waving at me as
he drove by.
As the days went by, I would see
this car pass by me as I would be
walking down the street.

8. Then he started tooting his horn as he
came upon me walking along.
Then finally one day he actually
stopped, and spoke to me.

9. It was December when we had our first date.
And my dad liked him from the first time he met him.
That meant everything to me.

10. Valentine’s Day 1964 he proposed to me.
I said no.
I was worried it was too fast.
After he pleaded with me I said only if he promised a long engagement.

11. We were married 5 months later in July of 1964.
This July will mark our 52nd Wedding Anniversary.
This Valentine’s Day… 52 years ago… I almost said no.

12. I am so glad he embellished the term
“Long Engagement”.