I can remember it like it was yesterday.

I was at Alex and Mara’s house for a Saturday afternoon Braai. Some how the topic of meeting some one came up and i said i had just joined Tinder. As a married couple of the 80’s generation i then had to explain what Tinder was. For those of you who don’t know what Tinder is, Tinder is a dating app which uses your location to find other “Matches” within your predefined radius. Having set my distance to 30km (yes, it was a bit cheeky) i proceeded to show Alex how you “swipe” right on someones profile who interests you (they then have to swipe right on your image). After about 4 left swipes (not interested), i came across a profile which caught my eye.

Immediately swiping “Right” (interested) tinder Matched our profiles. Seems Vidi had already swiped “Right” (interested) on my profile. Messages quickly ensued. Messages like “I want to meet a goat and brush his hair, will you come with me”… I was obviously intrigued.

Weird and quirky messages are my thing, I am an IT nerd. Suddenly a question about one of my photo’s came up (see below)

Vidi now also interested sent me an abrupt: “Here is my number if you want to know more”. As if to say, catch me if you can.

So i chased, i wanted to know more. I would then send her funny weird messages followed by her sending back equally funny or weird messages.

Example:

Neither one of us actually picked up the phone or sent any real photos. Just jokes and one-up’s. It was crazy. My entire December 2015 holiday was consumed with banter and fun challenges with a person i had never even met. I was completely infatuated, checking my phone constantly. Then this happened:

On the 2nd of January 2016 I offered to pick Vidette up from the airport (arriving home from holiday with her family in Kleinmond). Both excited and Nervous to meet we both agreed to not speak for the first hour of meeting. To make it even more suspenseful, i then created an elaborate treasure hunt for Vidette to follow. Each clue would lead to the next until eventually finding me.

After an unforgettable treasure hunt in OR Tambo I knew there and then she was the one, we have been together ever since. We spent the last 2yrs as inseparable best friends, i am excited to spend the rest of my life as a husband and family to this nutty wife.

-Love Skapie