6.25.2025

The Two Bars, Two Chances

It was my birthday, a Celebratory Wednesday night at Horse and Hyde Barroom & Saloon, my favorite spot. I was with my friend Kathy when she spotted Olivia across the room. Kathy, with a mischievous look on her face, went straight up to Olivia, pulled her over to me, and declared, "Michael, meet Olivia. I have a feeling you two are going to hit it off." Kathy was absolutely right. Olivia had this easy, radiant confidence that immediately drew me in.

We ended up chatting by the bar, and the connection was instantaneous, like flipping a switch. It wasn't just smooth conversation; it was filled with moments of laughter. We talked about everything—music, travel, and our favorite things to do—and there was never a gap, never a moment of searching for words. It felt like we’d been rehearsing this conversation for years.

The hours melted away until Horse and Hyde was winding down. Neither of us wanted the night to end, so I suggested a change of scenery, taking us to the perfect late-night spot: Dilly Dally. It was there, nestled in the “Scorch Corner” under the low lights and neon sign, that we cemented our instant favorite bar, long before we were officially a couple. The conversation flowed, fueled by excitement and the promise of something special. I took her home that night, already feeling like my dating life had hit an impossible jackpot.

The Week of Silence

Then came the ghost. One week of radio silence. No returned texts, no follow-up. I was totally baffled, convinced I had completely misread the electricity of that first night. I figured I'd been wrong—it was just a great night with a stranger, and she had moved on.

But fate, apparently, had a specific location in mind for our reunion: Dilly Dally.

I was grabbing a drink a week later with my friend Alex, focused on our dart game, when one of Olivia's friends approached us. After chatting for a bit, the friend went over to the bar to grab Olivia, who was clearly having a very good time (i.e., quite drunk), and brought her back to our section. The friend, completely unaware of our previous night, tried to introduce us: "Hey Liv, meet Alex and Michael!" I looked down, meeting Olivia's eyes—a glance that was equal parts awkward, guilty, and confused on her part. She knew exactly who I was.

The awkwardness broke with a moment of laughter. When I noticed how unsteady she was. I quickly suggested we go get some water. We walked over to the bar together, and that's when the chaos truly started.

As we were standing at the counter waiting for the water, her friend, Elizabeth, came barreling up to us. Seeing her very drunk friend (Olivia) at the bar with a strange man (me) she didn't recognize, Elizabeth instantly went into full defense mode.

"Who are you?!" Elizabeth yelled, genuinely ready to throw hands. "You don’t know her, Liv do you know who this is?!"

It took a frantic minute of me explaining, "I'm Michael! We met last week at Horse and Hyde! I just want to make sure she's safe," before Olivia, squinting through the lights, finally slurred out my name. Elizabeth still looked suspicious, but she eventually let me take over, and I spent the rest of the evening making sure both Olivia and the slightly-terrifying Elizabeth got home safely.

From Ghosting to Glendale

After that dramatic, highly memorable, second meeting, the dynamic shifted. The ghosting was over. Maybe she was grateful I’d handled the situation with care, or maybe she realized I wasn't going anywhere. Either way, we started talking, and this time, the conversation never stopped.

Our connection quickly moved beyond late-night bar talks and straight into the official dating sphere. Our first official date was the kind of epic night that demanded an instant repeat: a Morgan Wallen concert in Glendale. With openers like Brooks and Dunn and Ella Langley, the energy was electric, and we spent the whole night singing, dancing, and completely soaking up the fact that this time, it was officially us.

Since that incredible night in Glendale, we have hardly spent any time away from each other. The chaotic, wonderful, and ultimately perfect start to our relationship, split between a favorite saloon and our future favorite bar, led us exactly where we were meant to be.