(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Time now for StoryCorps and a love story from Birmingham, Alabama. Back in 2001, friends tried to set up Coca-Cola salesman Walter Body and guidance counselor Vanessa Falls, but both of them were single parents and weren't interested in dating. The next day, Walter ran into Vanessa again. They came to StoryCorps to remember what came next.
WALTER BODY: I saw you, Vanessa, at church. As you were walking down front, I said, how did I not want to meet her, as pretty as she is? I approached you and asked for your telephone number.
VANESSA FALLS: I purposely set my number very fast.
BODY: You didn't think I was going to remember but didn't know at the time I'm real good with numbers.
FALLS: I told my daughter, this man keeps calling me. She said, ooh, Mama, you got you a stalker man.
BODY: That came from my persistency as a salesman because you never give up.
FALLS: I said, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to make it the worst date ever. I'm going to be late. That's going to probably irritate him.
BODY: You were 40 minutes late.
FALLS: I didn't mean to be that late, but when we got to eating and talking and laughing, I mean, it was really so much fun.
BODY: Hostess came over asking us how long we've been married.
FALLS: And I said, can't you tell we're not married? We're having fun.
(LAUGHTER)
BODY: When did you decide that I was the one for you?
FALLS: I think I knew that you would be someone I want, but I came out of a marriage that was challenging, and I'm a daddy's girl. My father didn't want anybody else to hurt his baby girl. And he wanted to see if you were a good guy. You were an employee of Coca-Cola. So he went around looking for a Coke truck, and he said, do you know that man named Walter Body? I understand he is horrible, a mean man. But everyone that he talked to said, you must have the wrong Walter Body 'cause the Walter Body I know is a generous man, a dear man. So he told you, I went all over Birmingham trying to find one person to say one bad thing about you, and I couldn't find a soul. So I guess you all right.
BODY: Over time, our kids got to know each other. We started planning Christmas together. And I said, hey, baby, you want to get married?
FALLS: Yeah.
BODY: That's the way I proposed. And you said, you sure?
(LAUGHTER)
BODY: And I'll never forget that.
FALLS: I love you with my whole entire heart.
BODY: You love me better than I love me, and more than I love me. You are my wife and best friend.
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FADEL: Walter Body and Vanessa Falls for StoryCorps in Birmingham, Alabama. The couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary this year.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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