OUR STORY

Our story began in 1997, we were both in 4th grade in an elementary school located in a suburb right next to San Francisco. Karen was the tallest girl in class, where Farid was the shortest boy.  Farid's earliest memories of Karen was during P.E. kick ball when Karen pulled up to home plate, and all the boys moved forward.  To their surprise, she kicked the ball way past into the grass.  Karen's earliest memories of Farid was simply that he was this short person hanging out with one of the tallest boys in class.  It was like the pinky and the index finger, this duo was easy to spot. 

In 2000, at our 8th grade graduation dance, Farid asked his friend to ask Karen to dance.  She figured, why not?  The week after, Karen received a handmade heart shaped pink card made out of construction paper with a message from Farid and the card read,

"thank you for dancing with me at the dance.  it was the first time i danced with a girl.  

if you are free in the summer, give me a call"

Before the school year ended, our science class sent us to Marine World.  On the way home from our field trip, Farid handed Karen a bag, a souvenir Looney Toons coffee mug that had her name customized on it. You ask her today, 20 years later, she has no idea if she left that gift in the school bus. As for a phone call, he didn't receive it that summer either.  

We attended the same high school in the fall of 2000.  At the end of spring that school year, Farid sent a friend -again- to Karen with a new question.  The friends asked, "will you go out with Farid?"  Karen sent the friend back to tell him no. 

In the fall of 2001, Karen moved 30 miles away and began at a new high school in Redwood City. 

Fast forward to 2005, Farid moved to the sunny city of San Mateo.  He finished as valedictorian at Wyotech and went straight into the BMW Step Program, where in 2007 he finished top of his class. 

2009, Karen graduated finishing her Bachelors Degree in Sociology from San Francisco State University.  Her first job out of college was as an admin in San Mateo.  

2010, Farid reached out to Karen on Facebook, offering car services. Soon as Karen was able to save up enough to maintain her car, she contacted Farid.  He figured out how to solve issues that even the maker of the car could not fix. We realized Farid lived up the hill from Karen's work, and we had the same gym membership. We began working out together after work.  

Farid was resilient, he never stopped trying with Karen. After working out regularly for a month together, Farid was leaving for a planned vacation to Europe where he was going to be away for 2 weeks. In his attempt to be suave, he tried to land a quick kiss saying his good bye.  But Karen blocked with her hand, and said "you're smooth, but not that smooth."  

Farid kept in touch while away.  Him being away gave Karen the time to think and feel things she didn't think was possible.  She was missing this little dork.  OH MAN, the unthinkable!

Farid returned from vacation and they went back to working out together. One day, instead of working out, Farid invited Karen to the marsh at a pier. There he asked if she would be his girlfriend.  This time, he asked himself. She said he should wait a month.  June was her birthday month and she didn't want to share it with our anniversary. 

During Karen's first visit at Farid's home meeting his family, one of the first things she noticed?  A huge china cabinet full of mugs and cups from all over the world with his mother's name "Jenny" customized on them. She remembered he gave her one of those. Farid asked where it was. Her response?... She wished she never mentioned.