Math + Time = Love

How appropriate to talk about
the day I met my love
on the day of love.


But don't be fooled.
This isn't a "love at first sight" kind of story.
But still,
 it's a story with a very happy ending.



The slection

It all started with Lisa being short sided on the "math" section of brain.
Let's just say math is not her forte
and she finds the joke
"4 out of 3 people struggle with math"
to be very funny.
(even though it took her a second read through to get it)

Therefore, when she had to take math110,
or basic algebra,
for the third time in her life
(middle school, high school and now college)
She was certain of 2 truths:
1. She wanted an A
2. She needed help to achieve it

So after the first day of class
she marched to the math lab to sign up with a tutor.

With fate on her fingertips, the kind women behind the desk
thumbed through dozens of names
and selected at random
Brent Brown
"Your tutor will be Brent Brown. You'll like him, he's very nice."

And that was the beginning.
A simple random selection.
Amazing isn't it?

Lucky for Lisa the math lab posted on a huge board
with photos of all the tutors.
Being a single lady looking for love,
or at least a summer fling,
she immediately searched for Brent's photo.

"Lame. he looks married," Lisa said with a sigh after finding it.

One is unsure as to what married men, as a whole, look like
but what is certain is this chubby-faced man with little black framed glasses stuffed in a sweatshirt
was not what Lisa had in mind for her gallant and brave
math tutor.
"No, this would not be a summer lead by love,"
Lisa pondered, but she was satisfied with getting an "A" in Math 110 instead.

On to victory.

With determination in one hand and humility in the other
she emailed her new math tutor
describing her mental condition
and her being robbed of mathnetics
(math brain).
She also explained her deep desire for perfection
in mastering the dreaded class
Math 110.
In conclusion, she explained the only way to get what she wanted
was to meet with him... daily.

Her supposed married math tutor then responded
with kindness and understanding
stating that he was much too busy to meet daily
but that three times a week would be sufficient
and he would do his best.

Understanding that he probably had to deal with a wife and family
she agreed and they decided on the day to meet.

Algebra or Chemistry?

Lisa waited patiently in the math lab,
looking for the chubby married man to walk in the door.

To her surprise
a cute, not so chubby man walked in
and with the brightest smile and out-reached hand said,
"You must be Lisa."

Although this was not love at first sight.
There was clearly an attraction between Brent and Lisa
as at the end of this first tutor session
Brent (who was not married) and Lisa
changed their schedule
and decided they needed to meet everyday.

Extra Credit

The semester progressed.
And so did their relationship.
Lisa loved his humor, brain power, and the way he looked in his jeans
(especially while writing on the white board).
Brent loved her sass, laughter, and the way she smelled of flirtatious seduction.
(which was strategically planned by the first party).

Yet will all the obvious flirting between the two,
including babysitting her fish,
not driving to class hoping for a ride home,
and constant discussions on what weekend plans included...
going on a date was never brought up.

Lisa... was curious
(and a bit annoyed).

Truth Revealed 

The semester was coming to an end
and so was their budding relationship.
But still no date.
Lisa decided to pow wow with the roommates
to figure out the problem.
After a deep investigation it was determined that their must be a form of red tape
as far as being a tutor and dating is concerned.
Indeed there was.
Lisa found the contract signed on the day of reckoning.
"Aside from academic studies,
there is to be no relationship between the tutor or the tutored
for the duration of the time being tutored."

A-hah!
Mystery solved.

Well, being a straight forward little lady,
Lisa explained the situation to Brent.
To which Brent explained that was what pressed his perusing.

But with just one week left,
they planned
their first date.

And that my friends was the beginning.

4 years later,
a lot of ups and downs,
make outs and break ups,
her mission and his job,
declaring solitude and declaring love...

they finally married.
And lived happily ever after.




The wondrous math lab was another must stop during our Rexburg tour.
It was surreal to go back there with our daughter!


(the very desk we sat at during our first tutor session)

Even more crazy,
the same woman who randomly selected Brent as my tutor
was at the same desk doing the same job.
We told her our little story.
She said she is commonly known as a matchmaker on campus.
I would imagine!