Once upon a time there was an online social network called Facebook, and it brought together people from all over the globe, helping them to reignite romances, launch careers, and even find organ donors. "Facebook Fairytales" by Emily Liebert brings to light inspirational happy endings stemming from the increasingly popular social-networking site. An excerpt.
“Status” update
Sarah Brysk and Michael Cohen were smitten. As smitten as two teenagers could be, that is, after meeting at a winter seminar in 1990, for their national youth group camp.
Sarah—a La Jolla, California, girl—was sixteen. Michael, an “older man” at nineteen, hailed from Yardley, Pennsylvania, a small community in Bucks County bordered by the Delaware River, and not far from the site of their fleeting romance.
But, after working together as counselors the following summer, Sarah and Michael fell out of touch. They never saw each other again; they never spoke again. And, despite the fact that their older brothers were friends by virtue of attending the same camp, they never received an update as to the other one’s whereabouts or goings-on.
Fast-forward fifteen years. Michael, an acclaimed political speechwriter—who had been in a handful of long-term relationships—was residing in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan. Sarah had moved to San Diego, married a man she’d grown up with, and had then relocated to New York, where she was employed as a social worker at NYU—her bus stop just steps from Michael’s apartment.
For two years, Sarah and Michael traversed the same neighborhood but never once crossed paths. They simply went about their daily lives, oblivious to each other’s close proximity, until 2007, when Sarah and her husband abandoned the Big Apple for Seattle.
Unlike most newlyweds, though, the thrill of starting a new life together in a new city wasn’t enough for Sarah. It wasn’t enough to silence the voice inside her, urging—even beseeching—her to get out of her troubled marriage.
And in July of 2008, that’s exactly what she did. With the support of friends and family, Sarah packed up her belongings and moved back to San Diego to be closer to her parents and to spend the summer traveling and regrouping before plotting her future. She’d need to find a job and a place to live, she knew, but, on the heels of her separation, what she desired most was some time to breathe the fresh air of freedom.
A few weeks later, visiting her longtime friend Katie in New Mexico, the two women sat in Katie’s home office, catching up and gossiping about this or that, when Katie broached the subject of Facebook, hoping to coax Sarah into an impromptu tutorial.
“I haven’t joined yet, but I really want to try it,” Katie hinted. “How about showing me the ropes?”
Sarah, who’d become a member of the social networking site the previous winter, hadn’t devoted much time to it. After all, she’d been far too focused on enduring and finally escaping her increasingly problematic relationship. But, now, Sarah was finally in a place where she could reconnect with old friends, relieved not to have to explain her transient marriage.
“Let’s do it!” Sarah said, walking Katie through each step on an adjacent computer.
As her friend progressed, Sarah continued to detail different features. “See this alumni group?” Sarah motioned to her screen. “This is for people who went to my summer camp. I’m going to join so I can find some of my old friends.”
Katie watched intently.
“I know that guy!” Sarah pointed to the computer again. “So I’m going to connect with him. And, I can also see who else he’s friends with.” Katie nodded as Sarah scanned through his list. “Oh my God! There’s Michael Cohen. I totally made out with him!” Sarah laughed.
“You have to reach out. Maybe he’s single!” Katie smiled roguishly.
Sarah took her friend’s advice and, before long, Michael had accepted her “friend request.”
A couple of days passed, and, still in Santa Fe, Sarah logged on to Facebook again. Noticing Michael was also logged on, she tried to say hello via Facebook’s chat feature. But Michael, inundated with professional commitments, was too busy to acknowledge her affable attempt.
Undeterred, Sarah reached out via chat a few more times. But—still—Michael was unresponsive. And, finally, by the end of August, feeling unnecessarily rejected, Sarah sent Michael a direct message on Facebook, simple and to the point, in the event that he was truly intent on disregarding her.
Hey! How are you? Would love to know what you’re up to these days!
This time Michael responded, reporting that he was living in Brooklyn and working as a Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation.
Sarah hastily looked him up online and was seriously impressed by what she uncovered. Not only was the photo of Michael on his website really cute, but his bio read like an encyclopedia of accomplishments. Beyond his day job, he’d authored a book, titled Live from the Campaign Trail: The Greatest Presidential Campaign Speeches of the Twentieth Century and How They Shaped Modern America. Michael was also, it said, a frequent commentator on politics and international affairs for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, among other preeminent publications. And, as if all that wasn’t remarkable enough, he’d previously served in the U.S. Department of State as chief speechwriter for U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, and Undersecretary of State, Stuart Eizenstat.
Wow! Sarah mused, taking it all in.
At first, they stuck to sharing old camp stories, but before long, an intense e-mail correspondence ensued. They filled each other in on their respective lives and even flirted a little. Michael, it turned out, had recently ended a yearlong relationship.
With this knowledge in hand, Sarah casually mentioned her upcoming trip out East: “My mom and I will be heading your way in a couple of weeks, to visit my aunt and 102-year-old grandmother,” she wrote. “If you’re around, I’d love to see you.”
Michael replied that he would be around, and was all for a reunion.
Oh my God! I’m going to see Michael Cohen again, after all these years. Sarah’s mind raced with the possibilities.
Michael, on the other hand, was intrigued, but maintained his skeptical posture about romance in general. It simply wasn’t his style to get overly excited about anything until it was a reality.
Nonetheless, in early September, Sarah prepared for her trip to New York, by which time she and Michael had “chatted” extensively via Facebook. There was something about the bulk of their connection having been in writing that Sarah delighted in. It was reminiscent of an old-fashioned romance, only with an obvious modern twist.
I wonder if there could actually be something between us, Sarah ruminated, despite Michael’s romantic reticence. She had no idea if his feelings matched hers, but one thing was clear: their get-together was unlikely to be purely platonic.
On September 9, at 4 P.M., Sarah’s plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and that night, she took a taxicab to Brooklyn to meet Michael at The General Greene restaurant—a New York hot spot.
Walking through the front door, Sarah spotted Michael at the bar and felt an instant spark. Michael, too, liked what he saw, but—as usual—didn’t allow himself to think much beyond their dinner date.
Hours later, though, his mind-set was beginning to change. And the reunited lovebirds spent not only the following day together, but a large chunk of Sarah’s week in New York, engaging in all manner of amorous activities—with Sarah’s mother, aunt, and grandmother encouraging their interactions wholeheartedly.
Still, Sarah wasn’t sure if Michael was looking merely for a fun-filled week or something more until her final day in Manhattan, when he dropped her off, via Vespa, at her aunt’s Upper East Side apartment and handed her an inscribed copy of his book. The touching dedication referenced his chapter on William Jennings Bryan—the 41st United States Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson, and one of the most admired speakers in American history, renowned for his imposing voice.
For Michael, it was the most important speech in the book.
Reluctant to leave, Sarah returned to San Diego, and Michael immediately made plans to visit two weeks later, during the third week in September. They had brunch with Sarah’s family, who adored her new beau.
The following night over dinner, Michael’s eyes welled with tears as he confessed to Sarah, “I’ve fallen in love with you.” Fortunately, the feeling was mutual. And what resulted was a whirlwind of subsequent visits. First, Michael returned to California in October and met all of her dearest friends. Then Sarah flew to New York and accompanied Michael to Pennsylvania, where she was introduced to his parents. Next came Washington, D.C., for the presidential election, and—finally—Michael traveled to California for the last time over the Thanksgiving holiday to help Sarah pack up her things so she could move to Brooklyn, where they would cohabit full-time.
On December 2, Michael, Sarah, and her two English bulldogs set out for New York to commence their new lives—together.
Two months passed, and by February, everything was going better than expected. Sarah was asleep in bed, waiting for Michael to arrive home from a business trip, when—at one-thirty in the morning—he shook her awake.
“I’ve been thinking about it, and we should get married. I don’t want to wait.”
“Okay,” Sarah replied groggily, resting her head on her pillow and nodding off. She must have been dreaming.
Or not. The next morning, Michael prompted her: “Do you remember our conversation from last night?” She did.
“Yes! Let’s get married!” she said. “We can go to City Hall and invite just our parents.”
“Really? Wouldn’t you rather have a traditional ceremony and reception?” Michael asked, reversing their typical roles.
They debated the pros and cons and, eventually, devised a scheme.
They’d invite Sarah’s parents to New York in early March for a long weekend, under the auspices of meeting Michael’s parents. It would be an indication that things were getting more serious, but they’d have no idea that during said trip Michael and Sarah would become husband and wife.
With their plan set in motion, the conspiring couple eagerly awaited the big reveal. On the Tuesday night prior to Sarah’s parents’ arrival, they planned to have a casual dinner with friends at their old haunt, The General Greene. Unbeknownst to Sarah, however, their casual dinner with friends would be anything but what it seemed.
It was the snowiest day of the year as they trekked the few blocks from their apartment to the restaurant, where Michael received a prearranged call from one of their supposed dinner guests.
“Looks like they’re having car trouble and might not make it,” Michael said, delivering the news to Sarah with a straight face. “Should we stay or go home?” he asked nonchalantly, hoping her answer would be the former.
“Let’s stay,” Sarah confirmed.
“Great.” Michael exhaled, relieved that his plot was playing out flawlessly.
Once their plates had been cleared, Sarah and Michael headed out into the chilly March night once again, but not before Michael furtively pulled out his BlackBerry and posted a status update on Facebook:
Michael thinks Sarah should say yes.
Walking home, Michael set the next stage of his plan into motion. “Remember that first night, after dinner at The General Greene, when I kissed you on the street? Maybe we should find that spot,” Michael said, having previously spent hours scouting the exact location.
“Are you out of your mind? It’s freezing!” Sarah exclaimed, standing in her long, bulky parka, her arms hugging her body.
“Indulge me,” he replied, smiling and leading the way.
A few minutes later—having arrived at their destination—Michael faced Sarah, kissed her, and professed his abiding love and commitment to her, then handed her his BlackBerry with his Facebook status on the screen.
Perplexed, Sarah took the device, thinking: Jesus Christ, he’s got to show me that political piece he published today, right now, in the middle of the street on the snowiest night of the year! Couldn’t it wait until we got home?
But before she could protest, Sarah’s eyes fell on Michael’s post, and when she looked up again, Michael was down on one snow-sodden knee, proffering a vintage-inspired, platinum ring, with a significant emerald-cut diamond surrounded by two trapezoid rubies on either side.
“So, will you marry me?” He smirked at the irony.
“Yes!” Sarah shrieked, crying and jumping up and down.
At home, they called Sarah’s parents—only to tell them about the engagement—still keeping the surprise nuptials mum. And Michael updated his Facebook status once more:
Michael is pleased to announce that Sarah said yes!
On Monday, March 9, 2009—six months to the day after their first date, and nineteen years after their initial meeting—Michael and Sarah tied the knot at New York’s City Hall, with their parents as their witnesses.
But, after all, marriage is about compromise.
So, five months later, they did it all over again. On October 3, at The Woolverton Inn—across the Delaware River from the site of their former summer camp—Sarah walked down the aisle in a floor-length, champagne-hued silk and chiffon halter dress, adorned by a long, luxurious vintage necklace on a chain of faceted blue beads. It was the traditional ceremony and reception that Michael had wanted—with one hundred of their loved ones gathered around.
“We’re so happy it’s kind of ridiculous,” says Sarah, who recently launched a fabulous floral design business—Blossom and Branch—in Brooklyn. “It took almost two decades, but we’re finally together, which is exactly where we want to be.”
Excerpted from "Facebook Fairytales" by Emily Liebert. Copyright (c) 2010, reprinted with permission from Skyhorse Publishing.