You can actually, whatever, whatever works for you. Yeah. Okay, Veronica, more welcome to, let me try that again. I'm sorry, I'm a little nervous.
I'm so excited. Okay. Okay. Let me start over.
Veronica, more welcome to V the people, my first guest of 2026. I know. Thank you so much for doing this for me. I feel like we've been trying to do this for years.
We're just busy people. The timing is right. I feel like there's going to be some magic that gives me my conversation. First day back.
What was it like for you getting your kids back this morning? I'm struggling. Yeah. My daughter was up at six o'clock.
She got herself together in 47 minutes. Wow. And it was still in the beta 715. I was like, girl.
Yeah. Wow. Was she excited? She was super excited.
She is excited to see her friends. She got glasses over the break and she is the first kid I have ever met that was super excited, like overly excited to get glasses. I love this. She's a fashionista.
So she's like, oh, I'm going to get this shade. Yes. Yes. So she was very excited about that.
I love her. I love her. I was going to be matching her besties in class because she has glasses too. Let's go Hunter.
Okay. I was thinking about when I first met you and it was actually 2020. It was 2020. The fall of 2020.
Yes. And your daughter was starting preschool or pre-k? Pre-k. Pre-k during COVID.
So we were lucky to be at a school that could be open. Yes. Talk to me. Okay.
So we met because I was sitting outside. We had to take temperatures. We had to check to make sure you fill out the app. I mean, it was crazy.
Yes. So that's actually how I got to know you because I saw you every single morning the whole year. So talk to me if you could go back in time to that for COVID. What was that like for you sending your baby off to pre-k?
You know, for us, it was comforting because she asked for it. Okay. So when we started, she was the only student that was virtual in her class. Okay.
The only one and she had a couple sessions that week and she was like, I don't like this. Can I please go inside the building? Yeah. And then I looked at each other and we were like, all right.
So we are just going to take this leap and pray that nothing is going to happen that we're going to be safe. And so for us, it was reassuring also that there were safety protocols put in place that they were still learning that learning was still at the core of what was happening because there was a lot of distractions that were going to be safe. So we were going around in terms of what was happening at schools. If they were open, they were so hyper focused on the protocol and what was going on around them and making sure you weren't coming to school sick that sometimes learning took the backseat.
And so for those children during that time, they just learned to adapt to what was around them, but it was still a core part of like we're here to learn and experience. And this is just an accommodation we need to make right now. So for us, it was comforting to know that she was at a school that cared enough about both not one over the other. Yeah.
But it was different. It was like no social interactions with the parents. They didn't know what each other looked like until like your after. It was wild when people took their masks.
We're like, we know you by the way, your eyes. Yeah. You know your eyes. So when we started taking masks off, it was like, oh, this is I didn't think that you look.
I know. I thought that you were taller. I thought you were like, what does that have to do with my mask on? Like my face?
I don't understand. I get it though. Yeah, but it was great considering the circumstances. We navigate through it and deep in my connection with the school.
Yeah. And I got the plants. Well, okay. So I actually I forgot to introduce you as an award winning author, but also a plant therapy advocate.
Absolutely. I know that's among many other things that you are. But that was one of the cool things about COVID was that at the time I was a teacher at that school and Veronica actually started this plant therapy movement really it started in pre K and then didn't it it blossomed into the entire school. It's it started in pre K.
I had the idea because during COVID, especially in the summer time where we were usually outside all the time at parks, Hunter wasn't able to go to the parks, right? And go to the playgrounds that we would go to. And so we would spend a lot of time outdoors. And as a kid, I grew up with a master gardener.
So I was always outside helping her in the garden. And Hunter started to do that with me as well. So we grew food in the backyard. We had kale, we had strawberries, we had tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, all those things that she really loved it.
Then she started to help me with the house plants. And so she got really interested in that. And so I was like, okay, this this really helped her. Yeah.
So I'm wondering if as we're navigating now through this whole new dynamic of now we're no longer in our pods, like we are now connected and our children are connected to their classmates and it helped her. So what if I gave these plants to her class and I asked for permission from the teacher and was like, yes, my friend Jenny who owned the Korea's plants. So how like at that time now it's plants and coffee and Easton was like, I will donate the plants. And I was like, oh, thanks so much.
So she donated the first round to if my memory is correct, it was both pre-k class. Yes. It was both pre-k classes. I posted in our family and parents group.
Hey, this really helped my daughter. I have my friends to give these plants to the pre-k class. And I think that it will be a helpful coping mechanism. So if any of you are interested in plants and how they help the kids, I encourage you to go and grab like a plant from the store and like.
Right. Because this was also the time where they all their desks had to be six feet apart. So they each had one on their desk and it was like their buddy during the day. Yes, it was.
And then they took them home. Yeah. So after that, after I posted that, it went viral in the group. They're like, we want to sponsor our kids class and we want to sponsor our kids great over 300 students.
Yep. We're gifted those plants through sponsorship and I was so grateful. Right. And then when I will come to the school, the kids will be like, it's the plant lady.
And some of the children still have their plans. Yeah. That's pretty cool. I love it.
Is that were you kind of already thinking about writing a children's book prior to that? No. Was it a little bit of a catalyst for it later on though? Yeah.
I didn't start to think about writing the book until Hunter's Pre-K teacher, Miss Manny. We love we love and she said, I want you to know that Hunter is showing signs of reading. Yeah. Like early.
Yeah. So in kindergarten, she's probably going to be reading and I was like, okay, Hunter loved reading books. I would read books to her. She loved listening to them.
And so at that point in time, because she was so interested in books and learning and reading. Yeah. I was like, wow, this is beautiful. I wonder what it would be like to write a book for children.
I always had a fear of writing because to be honest, like my prep resort period growing up in school was not the best. Okay. Right. Like I went to grad school and one of my teachers was like, I refuse to grade this.
What? Until you go back and edit this and make it in APA format. It was just like writing was not my strong suits. I was like, I did this, but I can connect with children.
Yeah. And so I was like, this would be wonderful. So I started off with an ABC book concept that was point related and I had horrible interactions with artists. And I was like, I'm not doing this.
It just wasn't the right time. Okay. So when the time came, I was like, this makes sense. And I have all of these things.
And I have this beautiful story. That's a real life story of my daughter in her interactions of gifting her friends with plants at her school. That's going to be the crux of this. Yeah.
It's book and it just flowed right the timing was right. So when you said you had horrible interactions with artists, can you elaborate on that? Or was it just like, oh, it was like, so I think the first mistake that I made and no Shae for anybody who's on fire. No shade.
Okay. You've been shade your house. Some of those artists on fiber are. What are you?
They're horrible. I was just like, what the hell is this? Do they have to have any like qualifications to go on there or they can just be freelance? I don't know.
I don't know what the vetting process is, but they need to like figure out. They get your shot. Like, what are you? This is not what I asked you for.
Okay. So they weren't being mean. It was just like, no, no, no, they just aren't. They it was bad art.
It was like clip art art like it was like, did you? Why do the cheeks look like this? Right. Yeah.
So I was like, I can be overly critical, but I need to find the right artist for this. And sometimes the creatives can be a little lax today. So I think that's just like the frustrating thing when working with artists, sometimes creatives, creatives is just like, come on and put it out. I need you to produce.
We're not business people. It's just like, I need you. I need you to hit this. Yeah.
I have this. So when I decided to give it another go, I have this concept of a story. I can't remember how I came across this platform called Upwork, which I love. Yes.
Love Upwork found an artist on Upwork. She was the best. Dennico was best. She was so thorough.
She was on top of every deadline early with the deadlines. I was like, girl, you have spoiled me. Where in the world does she live? Like, did you ever meet in person?
I think you. Oh, wow. She's a Utah. Interesting.
We've never been a person. We were all virtual and I was like, I need to have a meeting with you virtually to see your face. I need to tell you what my expectations are with the project. Why?
It means so much to me. I want there to be synergy. Yeah. She was amazing.
She's absolutely amazing. And I'm hopeful that we'll be able to create again together. And you know, I do want to give some other artists a chance as well, but I do know that you work well. Like I work well with her.
Yeah. Yeah. So how do you actually go about getting your book published at that point? Oh, so that's a whole step, right?
That's a whole process. And I actually help those who are aspiring self published authors to put their book to the market. Right. I think what's really important to understand is that self published authors now is very different than what it was a couple of years ago, right?
Where people will be putting out trash. Mm hmm. A lot of people don't know that I self published my children's book until I tell them. Yeah, because it looks very legit.
Right. Yes. Professional. Yes.
We it's clean. The process that I went through to put it out to market to launch it. People knew. Oh, wow.
I knew that she's published because she said that she was doing that and she put it out into the world for us to see that whole process. But everything that I did would be equivalent to what somebody who's traditionally published would do outside of having an agent right and having an advance maybe right for your book. But there's a way to publish your book and be able to do so with profit. Good.
And I love to help people understand how that goes. But I think for the process to go successfully, you need to be able to be organized. You have to know what your concept is. Children's book or not, you need to have the concept.
You need to know the audience and who you're speaking to. You need to know what is it that you want people to take away from it, right? What type of book do I want it to be? Then you have to work on what the manuscript will look like.
What will include? Will it be a chapter book? Will it be a story book? Will it be a children's book?
Will it be a business focus book? Right. What will be a self help book regardless of what it is that you choose? Those steps aren't different, right?
Of knowing who your audience is. All the things that I just rambled off the manuscript. And also understanding what the distribution looks like. Yes.
People have their feelings about Amazon and all of the things, right? But we have to be able to utilize the tools that are best for us to be able to put ourselves to market. And that's what Amazon really is as, you know, a marketplace for authors to be able to use for marketing. Right.
Because out there, right, for people to search, it's a search engine. Amazon is a search engine that has products that pop up when you search for things. It's very hard to avoid it. It's very hard to avoid it.
Many things in life are very hard to avoid, right? So I don't even give me up the whole thing because I just, okay, my life. I want it to be simple. Yeah.
Right. And there's some things that you, Veronica are passionate about. That you will stand 10 tells down on that I won't. And there's vice versa.
Right. And so I'm not taking my book off Amazon. Yeah. That doesn't mean that I do not support local, small bookstores, indie bookstores, because I will be the first to tell people go and shop at your independent bookstores because we need to feel that economy.
We need to make sure that they stay open. Right. There's community there. There's a beautiful thing that happens with authors in that space.
Yeah. And there's an advocacy piece, right? That comes along with being an independent bookstore that you don't get kind of all these online marketplaces. But if I bought your book off of Amazon, I mean, in a way, I'm still supporting you.
You're still seeing you are. And come from that. You are. But I would say, you know what?
Buy from my website. Yeah. Oh, well, yeah, because then that's going direct to me. I don't have to wait on any type of events or I'll say, you know what?
Come to this book sign that I'm doing at the end bookstore in town. Right. And come and support that establishment and me as an author. I was looking for ways to connect and make sure that we're supporting more than just one entity, at least for me.
Yeah. Well, and I feel like I've been to events before where I didn't even realize there was a whole world of local artists and authors, specifically, children's book authors. Like, that's very cool. So going back really quick to you're talking about the whole like full circle with Hunter helping you.
By the way, Hunter has like such star quality. She does. I mean, I know we're probably like as teachers and educators, we don't have favorites, obviously. But that being said, as the marketing and communications person at the time, I mean, kind of like social media was one of the only ways that we were really connecting.
Yeah. I just knew there were certain kids that I could pull that obviously the teachers were always understanding about it. But like I could have a weird idea and ask the kid to answer certain questions and also knew the parents. Right.
So like I knew like certain parents would be down and they were fine and it was whatever. But Hunter was just one of those kids for me. Like I just knew she would always like give me some personality and she just I just really love me some Hunter. She was she loves me on camera.
Oh, she is a star in the making and we're trying to facilitate that in a healthy way. And I still it was funny. I went to do my phone and I saw that video. Everybody likes good news.
Yeah. And it's like oh my god. And then she did the segment where was like if you're feeling stressed. Yeah.
It's like what do you want for? What do you know about being stressed? Oh, yeah. And they had all kinds of answers to about like things that bother them or stress them out.
This and my friends were like, what is going on with Hunter? That you're over there stressing her. I was like, I don't know. I was stressing me out.
Okay. So I'm sorry. So you were talking about Hunter helping you in that coming full circle. I was doing a little bit of Facebook stalking on you yesterday and I didn't realize you're from Chicago.
Oh, yes. So you're born in Ray, Chicago. Yes. What part?
So I'm not really I've been to Chicago. I have friends that live there now. But I'm not familiar with like all the different parts. So give me like the dumb down version.
What part of Chicago did you grow up in and what was it like? I grew up on the West out of Chicago by UIC and I grew up at a very different time where it does not look like it does right now. Okay. My family, my grandmother grew up in the projects or projects around projects don't exist anymore.
Why is that? They have torn them down. No funding urban redevelopment got it. Okay.
Between those lines. Yep. Understood. So it's like, oh, okay.
So what was once like very nostalgic for me as a child growing up and seeing what Chicago was for me. Don't get me wrong. I do appreciate when there are developments that make a city beautiful and creates opportunities for businesses. But I don't appreciate that when people are pushed out.
Well, yeah, they can't afford it. Where do they go? Exactly. So, yeah.
Okay. So in Chicago, like I'm thinking of New York where it's like public school 52. Like what are the what's the school like? What was growing up like for you?
So growing up for me was different. Right. I spent a good amount of time in Chicago for great kindergarten through, I'm going to say second grade. Okay.
And then what happened was I was actually not living in Chicago during those grades. Oh, I was living in the outskirts and the suburbs because can't remember the age, but my parents moved out of the city for an opportunity to own their own home. Right. They wanted to get out of that area.
But I would come back and I would go to school in Chicago because my parents worked in Chicago. My grandmother lived in Chicago. Okay. So from grades kindergarten through second grade, I was going to school across the street from my mother's house.
Nice. What living 30 minutes away? Okay. So your parents would like drop you off on their way in.
Cool. Drop me off on my way in. On their way into work at my grandmother's house. I'll go to sleep for a little bit and get up and get ready for school.
Oh, wow. That's how early it would be. Yeah. Cause my dad had to be a work at like six thirty.
Wow. So we would be up early. What was he doing for work? He worked as a driver's helper for a University of Illinois at Chicago.
Oh, cool. My mother worked for City Bank before tellers or before ATM. Yep. She was a teller.
She was a teller. That's you know, my mom was a teller for a while. She said it was like a really cool job. She was a teller.
She worked at the bank. Damn. And so for me, it was I knew a different type of life, right? Yeah.
And I didn't really understand the sacrifices that were made until I was older. Yeah. You were like a commuter kindergartner. Exactly.
It's like a community part of the time. But it was, you know, for me, it was like, oh, these are what the schools are like. Hmm. Now that I'm older, I can recognize.
Oh, they were very underfunded. Resources were not there. Right. Right.
And then when we stopped going to school in Chicago and I would go to school, you know, around the corner from where we lived in Mark and Illinois, it was like, okay. But you still notice the difference between one school district and another school district. Yeah. If you live in this area, they had all the things.
Yeah. But if you lived over here, it was like, which is wild. You know, it's so interesting about the Lehigh Valley too, because I feel like, you know, probably William Allen, I would say is like, not that many miles away from me. From Parkland High School, right.
So that's what's so interesting about this area for me is like, you could be within a mile from a different school and it, the resources, the funding, everything just looks so different, and it's shameful. It's shameful. It is absolutely shameful. I am so fortunate.
I'm so grateful that my daughter goes to the school that she does because we make a lot of sacrifices for that to happen. We make lots of sacrifices so that she can have better than what we have. But when I go to these other schools, I'm like, everyone should have what she has. Yeah.
Oh my God. Because you see the impact it has on the kid. You see the impact. It's life changing.
It is life changing. what you've given her, I mean, and just firsthand being able to watch her blossom and genuinely just be like seen and celebrated for who she is and she's just a great human. The resources, the opportunities outside of the classroom, you know, it's like everybody should have this. So what are we not doing?
That's preventing this. Let's get into it. Let's talk about it. Right?
Yeah. Who's ready to talk about that? Right. Well, if it's working for someone, they don't want to talk about it.
So you went to a new school by like third grade and you could sense the difference and what was available to you and I could from what I was getting in Chicago's inner city to what I was getting in, you know, suburb outside of Chicago to what was happening in to a district, right? Like if I were going to South Holland, Illinois, those schools were better resourced than some of the schools in Harvey and Markham. Wow. Matt Centenley Park.
All of these, you know what I'm saying? These must be just kind of suburban neighborhoods where again you're looking at underserved and under resourced no matter where you go and why does that have to be the common denominator? Right. So I noticed that I graduated valedictorian from my grade school, but I was like, it's start, it made me question, but am I still good enough?
Because what I have been valedictorian if we live somewhere else, right? Was in this school district, am I prepared properly? Is the rigor the same? Am I valedictorian status and accomplishment as someone who lives in, you know, a neighborhood that's more wealthy?
And you know, my parents worked hard for us to have what we have and we came from a working class. All very valid. Did you feel that way when you went to college? Oh, absolutely.
Yeah. Oh, girl. When I went to college, I was like, Oh, oh, shit. Okay.
So these kids is driving bemurs. Oh, she's Lexus is what college robot Carthage College in connoce, Wisconsin private liberal arts. Yeah, I heard about it. I was like, girl, I got here because my coach recruited me to run and so I am going to do as best as I can to make sure that I don't drop this ball.
Yeah, but I was the only black girl in many situations. Residents, hall floor, there were like two of us. Okay, classroom, Bingo, the only one token. Boom.
Wow. So predominantly school. Oh, absolutely. Okay.
But you found right there through running. I did. I'm in track and field in high school. My coach recruited me.
She came to some of my mates. She's like, I want you to come here. Of course, gave us a tour. She'll just a beautiful campus that sits on Lake Michigan.
It is gorgeous. Nice. Right. So you're so close to home to.
Yeah, I was about an hour away from home. Nice. And my coach would mean my mom, right? And was like, you know, we want you to be here.
We got the pamphlet of information came back home, opened it up, that joins the $20,000. Damn. I was like, for all four years. They're like a year and I was like, I was like, no, we can't afford that.
I refuse to put my mother through that. And my mother was like, you will not turn down an opportunity because you feel like we can't afford it. I was like, we can't. And my coach was like, don't let that number scare you.
And I went to a D three school. So they didn't give out athletics scholarships. Okay. But they knew how to find the money.
Right. So I was like, we'll have an opportunity for you to get grants in that will come down. Right. So and it did.
And I was like, okay. So by the time that left, it wasn't $20,000 anymore, but I also didn't have $100,000 in debt. Right. So, you know, I saw that disparity there too.
Yeah. Okay. It was like, again, ill prepared and I shared with you the story about what my graduate professors said to me about my paper that I turned in. Yes.
We were not prepared for this. We didn't have a huge English rigor. Like that was not in composition, literature. Right.
I was a graphic designer major. Yeah. You know, certain classes you don't even have to take this. I was like this.
I was like, I was like, take that out the way real quick. I was like, anyway, I don't have to do a lab. I'll change my major. Right.
I was like, this, wow. So even that showed me like, okay, preparation matters. Did you experience, because I know you described it was a predominantly white school, did you experience racism from any of your professors or classmates? Not blatantly.
Okay. Right. I don't feel that I was mistreated in the classroom. Okay.
I don't. I think of anything they knew in those spaces that we had to work harder. So they would make sure that they supported what that looked like. Okay.
Yes, I'm going to make you work hard, but not because you're a black girl. Right. I'm gonna make you work hard because I understand what you need to do to thrive not only in this environment, but when you leave this place for Monica, it is going to look very similar to this. Right.
It was very diverse high school and grammar school. So being in that environment, I was like, there's a lot of white people. Yeah, I was different. Yeah.
And I used to this. Yeah. So they prepared me for that. Right.
We had our safe haven when we would go to practice. Right. You got all the black girls printers, you know what I'm saying? You got a couple white girls who run it fast.
You know, but our team though, it was like we thrived supporting each other. So it didn't matter. Yeah, you had a family. We had a family right within that track and field team and my coach was the same way.
She loved us. Right. Coach Def, we would not be where we are in life today without her guidance and reassurance that we can make it in that space. Oh, yeah.
Right. So it was it was helpful. I had one encounter with a employee who worked in food services who now that I look back on it was on the spectrum. However, the context in which she called me the inward.
What? Oh, it was it was spot on and it was that was the first time that I had ever been called that to my face. You were a student. You were getting food at your school.
I was putting my tray away in the like little cubby little holes and she put your stuff in. Oh my God. And I was throwing something away. She's like push it back and I was like, I will but I'm trying to throw this away in the garbage before I put it up here.
And she goes, you effing what? And I lost it. Yeah. I literally, my cousin was like right in front of me.
I tried to go through that door on her. Yeah. I would admit it. Like I was like, you don't call me that.
I'm just gonna see her and take it. Right. I'm about to pop you in your mouth. Yeah.
Yeah. I mean, I was like, I'm about to give it to you. Right. Straight up.
Did you tell him? Did you report her? So I reported her. This is what happened.
This is where I was like, Oh, life is different. So I told my mother what happened. I was fired up. Yeah.
I told my mother what happened. I got taken out of the cafeteria and I can't remember the order of things that I got caught in the dean office then or later. But I believe it was then it was right after I got caught in the dean's office. And I told them what happened.
My cousin told them what happened. They focused on the fact that I was being violent. Yeah. Okay.
Mm hmm. The dean focused on the fact that I was being violent and I told her exactly what happened. Right. And so I went off on her.
Yeah. I was like, Oh, damn. I went off on her. And I was like, y'all incompetent.
Right. You weren't being violent for no reason. I was like, she provoked me. She called me out of my name, a racial slur.
And she was like, well, you, we expect you to compose yourself in a different way. And I told her some choice of words to her face. And I went to my room and I called my mom and she laughed. She laughed.
She said, Oh, Veronica, she said, congratulations and welcome to the real world. And she didn't laugh like hysterically. She did like a little chuckle. Right.
She said, girl, I grew up in the 1960s. Right. In Chicago. Holy shit.
She goes, I am really sorry. Right. That you had to deal with that. But it won't be the last.
Right. She said, we got to yourself. And you know, you got to move past it. Yeah.
So the dean and the sis and dean ended up coming back around. I had an advisor who advocated on my behalf. I had my culture advocated on my behalf of the type of student that I knew. I was a student leader on campus.
Right. They were just so used to the poise leader of Veronica, president of this on the board of this. And you saw me out of character. Right.
Know this very much. So who I am, you just have never seen it. Right. If I have to protect myself, that's what I'm going to do.
So they came back. They were like, well, they had a conversation with her supervisor, found out that she was on the spectrum. I didn't know this initially. I didn't.
Well, do you think that's any justification? That's what I told them. Right. I said, that's not a justification.
I said, I understand that however, she used it in a context that was very, she meant what she said. Right. It was hateful. It was hateful.
And they said, well, what do you want us to do? Because there was, I think there were some folks who were advocating behind the scenes and that energy that they had initially was very different from my thought. Okay. Well, we wanted to give you an update.
The person wants to apologize. I said, I'm not interested in the apology. And I do not want to interact with them. They didn't like that.
And I was like, you're not going to force me to hear an apology. I don't care about it. Right. They said, well, we are going to terminate this person.
Good. Plot twist. I said, I don't want her to be terminated. Oh, I said, I want her to learn from this instance.
I want there to be something done where she has to understand exactly what it is that she did face the consequences. I said, go ahead and put her somewhere else. Maybe she has some type of education or whatever. But I'm just like, I don't, I'm not here to do harm.
And they were so stunned at my answer. Yeah, you just stunned me. I mean, that was very kind of you. I said, I don't want this woman to lose her job because I knew the type of individuals who were working right in the dishroom.
I said, then what would she be able to do to support herself? Right. And they were like, Oh, I didn't think that she would be a friend. I'm not a horrible person.
Of course. The fact that she caught me on my name. Yeah, rightfully so. Right.
So that whole situation was the first time that I was like, things are different. People get treated differently. You love me when I am here making the college look good. Or but when I stand up for myself, you victimize me.
Yeah, tell me that I was out of character and that I should have composed myself better. Yeah. Wow. And so interesting too about your mom's response and to imagine, you know, what year was this that it happened for you?
Okay. I was a senior. Oh, wow. So just to imagine what it would have been like for her in the 60s.
Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. No problem.
Did you meet Q in college? I did. Well, I met him in grad school. Was it love at first sight?
She said we don't get it. The situation was so I'm a member of my sorority. He's a member of his fraternity and our organizations have a connection through our founders years ago. Right.
The founder of my organization was married to a member of his. Oh, cool. So that connection was there when we met each other. We met through a mutual friend who introduced us when he pledged.
I was already a member and you know, we had that. Actually, I told Q and we hit it off really well. We were really good friends. But I told him that I was interested in another guy that went to school with us.
And he was like, Okay, but I didn't know he liked me. Oh, he already liked you. Yeah. But you like me.
No, you know that. Were you putting him in the friend zone or were you just like not picking up on the vibes? I was picking up on the vibe. Okay.
So run and track and field like you have your girl teammates, you have your guy teammates. Yep. And I have both. Right.
You have platonic friends like listening and I was a time boy growing up. Yeah. Like I vibe with the guys like more so. Yeah.
Girls are like weird. Like they do weird shit. Very sure. So I wasn't picking up any that's when he told me and I was like, Oh, I think he's cute.
Like, you know, but I'm like, he was involved with somebody else. Okay. Oh. And so I told you don't like somebody else.
Right. And he's like, I can't believe that you like I'm in your face. I'm spending time with you. I'm clearly like, I was like, first of all, it wasn't clear.
Clearly it's telling me yo, I'm feeling you. Yeah. But when he told me that after I shared who I was interested in, I was like, Okay, well, I didn't know that. Well, clearly, I'm like feeling you too.
He's like it. You know, clearly, because you just told me that I can think about you as more as a friend, more than a friend. So that was our interaction. There's more to that conversation that we can have over, you know, maybe dinner, not now.
I got you. I got you. How long have you guys been married? You and I have been married for this year, will be 12 years.
Oh my God. Yes. We got married September 13 of 2014. Okay.