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Now you ask, how did this little romance all begin? Well, I'll tell you.
It all started in 1985. Maybe earlier. We'll never know. Philip's older brother, Tom, was a student at the U of A. He happened to have a Dr. Williams for a teacher. Philip and his family lived up in the Tucson Mountains and had a great view of the night sky. It so happened that Halley's Comet would be visible at the end of that year so Tom, who had quickly become friends with Dr. Williams, invited him and his family up to his place to see Halley's Comet. Dr. Williams loaded his wife and four children into their beat up car on either the 15th of November or the 22nd. They drove up to Philip's family house. When they arrived there, the Williams' kids couldn't believe their eyes. There were seven, yes seven children outside waiting to meet them. There were goats in pens, dogs everywhere, cats on the prowl and chickens caged up with peacocks. It was like nothing they had ever seen. But something else caught Dr. Williams' little girl Ruthie's eye. It was a cute little blonde boy. A little boy named Philip Goltz. Ruthie followed her older brother around that whole day, only because it allowed her to hang out with the boys and strut her five-year-old stuff. It must have worked, because she seemed to have someone's attention. Finally it was dark enough to see Halley's Comet. They all trooped up the 'ridge' and Ruthie's mom set up her telescope. They all got a great view of something magical. It was something they would only see once or twice in their lives. The children were enthralled. Sadly, the night soon came to an end and Dr. Williams packed his sleeping children back into the car. But that's not the end of the story. The smallest children of the two families, Rachel and Victor decided that one day it would be fun to call the other. What started out as a simple phone call became almost five years of constant calls. How the parents must have dreaded the phone! Ruthie and Philip got into the action and the four became the best of friends over the phone. Ruthie and Philip even began to write letters, as did Rachel and Victor and the friendship grew even tighter. Visits were in order and the children got to see each other somewhat frequently over the years. On Ruthie's 13th birthday, Philip and one of his older brothers, Allen, paid them a visit. He made Ruthie a special birthday tape. This tape became one of Ruthie's most prized possessions and her favorite tape to this day. But tragedy hit. When Ruthie turned 13, her father felt it time they moved to bigger and better things. Ruthie was heartbroken. On July 22nd, 1993 Dr. Williams once again packed his kids in the car and they drove away. But not before Ruthie called Philip. For you see, it was his 15th birthday that day. Ruthie cried into the phone telling Philip she would miss him more than any of her other friends. Philip kept his tears, but cried later that day. The friendship looked like it had reached the end. But you are wrong. Ruthie and Philip continued to write letters! They made tapes, jewelry, even video tapes and sent them to each other. Philip even send Ruthie a beautiful locket with his picture in it. This friendship was meant to be. As the months went by, Ruthie realized that she might have more than just 'friendship' feelings for this boy of her childhood. She went out on a limp and told him that she loved him. He returned her feelings. Something was brewing in the air. Than tragedy struck again. It seemed like fate wanted to test these two youngsters. Ruthie became your typical teenager and broke things off with Philip, breaking the poor lads heart. The reasons are unclear to this day just why Ruthie did it, but the phrase 'love you like a brother' will always ring horror in Philip's ears. It looked like the end once more. But, Ruthie realized her mistake and tried to fix it. The damage was done. She had broken his heart. That same July, the Williams family were going to Arizona to see Ruthie's sick grandfather. Ruthie thought this the perfect time to see Philip and fix things up. They could go on that double date the four kids had always been joking about. But Philip had a lot more healing to do. He left on a retreat to Texas in order to miss Ruthie altogether. You may think this harsh, but he loved Ruthie more than anything and she had really hurt him. So, a year past. Philip got another girl (Don't worry hungry listeners, she was EVIL!!), Ruthie got another guy (but only for a month!!) and it looked like this friendship had truly reached a close. But wait! This story is nowhere near done! It just so happened that Rachel called Victor for his birthday one fateful day in 1997. The two of them thought it a good idea to call Philip at work on three way and talk to him. Cunningly the two got Ruthie and Philip on the phone. Something clicked (and it wasn't the phone... Sillies...). Philip told Ruthie to call him later that night. She did and the phone bills are history! They talked that summer for hours, racking up bills over $500.00 collectively. And finally, their chance to see each other after 4 years happened. Ruthie's favorite grandfather, the one they went to see in '96, passed away. (God Rest his WONDERFUL Soul!). Ruthie and her mother would fly out there the next night to go to the funeral. Ruthie called Philip and told him the good news. He could hardly believe his ears. Every night that she was out there, he called. Finally they met. A glorious first date became the first of many. At the end of '97, Ruthie surprised Philip with an unexpected visit. Their mutual friend Lana helped Ruthie out and they showed up on his door one fateful evening. Many more trips ensued. Ruthie visited Tucson many a times in the next two years. Philip even made it up to New Hampshire for Ruthie's 18th birthday and graduation. Finally, fate seemed to be going their way. In December of 1998 a magical event took place. At the Manchester Airport on December 8th, 1998 Philip proposed to Ruthie on the first snowy night of the year in the back of her mother's Mazda. They were eating a lovely Chinese dinner when Philip brought out the fortune cookies. Ruthie thought this a bit odd, since Philip usually ate like a cow and had barely touched his food. (Now we can see why. ^_~) He handed Ruthie her fortune but she insisted that he read it to her. Now, the two had gotten into this silly quirk in their relationship where they were always asking the other to marry them. When Philip read Ruthie's fortune, 'Ruth Will You Marry Me?', Ruthie only thought this another of those moments. Philip handed Ruthie the fortune. She couldn't believe her eyes. It really was a proposal. Ruthie quickly replied yes and began to cry. Philip brought out a beautiful diamond ring and she cried on his shoulder. It was the happiest moment of her life. In March of '99 Ruthie helped Philip move all his belongings up to New Hampshire where they resided for two years. It was a long commute but a lot closer than Tucson. Finally, in 2001 Philip, Ruthie, Ruthie's sister Becky and her husband, and Philip's sister Marti (She came up to visit and rode back with them) packed up all their belongings and headed West. Philip and Ruthie now live in Tucson again (but not together.. not till they're married.. sheesh! ^_~). Things are looking up and the wedding for these two love-struck birds is scheduled for November 22nd, 2002. Does that date ring a bell? Perhaps it was the magical day back in 1985 when the whole silly romance of two childhood sweethearts began. And who said dreams can't come true? |