parisian party

Philip Lloyd Photography

Talk about a “meet cute”!  Cynthia Sanders and Michael Heatley met when they both had the misfortune (or was it…?) of being caught in the middle of an airline strike at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris in 2007. After spending 7 frustrating hours together being shuffled back and forth in line, they were finally told that not only were there no flights, there were also no more hotel or meal vouchers available.  They were instead given a telephone number to call to find out when the strike was over, and then were sent away.  By now old friends, they decided to share a cab back to Montmartre to look for hotel accomodations and a bite to eat.  Over the next 3 days of the strike, Michael  (who spoke French and knew Paris fairly well) played tour guide for Cynthia-  and love blossomed (awwww…..).  When they finally were able to make it back to the States (he to Chicago, she to Tampa) they continued the relationship for the next few years- and were married on August 1st in Florida. Gives you something to think about the next time you’re stuck in one of France’s inevitable strikes, doesn’t it?  For the full story, check out this article in the St Petersburg Times.