You asked for it...

well, ok, really 2 of you asked for it... So, Katie and Lisa, here is the story about how Brad and I met :)

After I graduated from college, I took at job at UAB doing neuropsychological testing for memory disorders. Since this job paid just a little more than NOTHING, I was thrilled when I found out that the medical school was looking for people to be fake patients for medical student practical exams. The pay was great - and the payoff in the long run was even better :)

On this particular night I was pretending to be a patient with a thyroid problem. I had learned all the facts, would respond to the fake doctors (aka medical students), fake symptoms and responses, and then grade them after they left. And I did all of this in my hospital gown and socks :)

So, on this night, the last round of students came through and I was giving my last scores when the course coordinator (my boss) came in and said 'What are you doing in here?'  I freaked and asked her what she meant and she said that there was a medical student out there that was asking about me and saying that I was cute... WHAT?!?!?!???!?  Immediately I wanted to know - who was it? She told me his name, and I looked him up on the picture sheet (we had to have their pictures to make sure that they were really who they said they were...) His name was Brad. He choked me during the exam and made me cough :) He was cute, but that was the end of it. Right?

So I told my friends about it and they said that I needed to find out more about him. TOTALLY NOT MY STYLE... I mean, I had had like one boyfriend in my whole life. And he really didn't count. He was too dorky. I mainly just had guys that were friends. Anyway, after a lot of pushing and encouragement, I asked the course coordinator for Brad's phone number. I figured that since I was a 'fake' patient and he was a 'fake' doctor' that the whole doctor/patient relationship wouldn't be a big issue :)

So, I got his number and after more encouragement and pushing from my friends (I'm sure that they thought I'd NEVER do it!) I thought 'what the heck... what do I have to lose!' and called him. 

But, he had moved. But the lady there was kind enough to give me his new number, so I called him again. And the conversation went something like this:

Him: Hello

Me: Hi, um, you don't know me, and I really never do this, but, my name is, well, um, Lucy, the course director, gave me your number, and I, um, well, I'm the girl from room Green 3, and well, um, I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime.

Him: OOOOKKAAAAAYYY. Um, sure. 

And the rest is history, I guess. Never in my life had I asked someone out. Ever. I mean, he didn't even know my real name (only my patient alias!). Our first date was interesting, to say the least... the good: he drove a honda civic (it was white, but that's ok - it's close to silver), he was nice, he was cute, he paid, and he brought me a rose. The bad: he took me to a Japanese restaurant and fed me food that I didn't like (but how was he supposed to know??) Oh, and the best part? He asked me out again!!

So there you have it - fake patient falls in love with fake doctor. Not exactly the stuff of romance novels, but it's our story.

Oh, and Brad's version of the story is a bit different. He says that the other students were complaining about the test and he was just trying to give the course coordinator a hard time. But, he still chose to ask about me, so I guess that's all that matters... I'm so thankful he did!