I met Eric at the library in February or March of 1999.  I worked there as a helper.  Eric had gotten some fines, and got community service to take care of them.  From what he told me, he was on a (for lack of a better word) joy ride to Florida.  He got pulled over in Horse Cave, KY, where he got fined for no insurance.  Work was easy to come by for him there at the time, as lots of people raised tobacco, and were always looking for hard workers.  It was good for him, because you would work your time for the day and get paid that day.  Somehow, he met Ricky W., who owned a trucking company.  Eric began working for him, in the garage.  Ricky's wife, Sherry, was the book keeper for the library where I worked.  I think she helped Eric get his community service at the library.  We hit it off instantly.  He didn't have a car at first.  He would walk miles to come see me.  For our first date, he borrowed the work truck, and had single rose on the seat.  I don't remember what else we did that day, but that was sweet.  I didn't have my license yet.  He actually taught me how to drive.  How crazy is that??  At one point he actually told me I was hopeless.  Anyone who has ever taught anybody else to drive would understand this, I'm sure.  There were no smashed bugs on my windshield for the longest time, because I didn't drive fast enough.  He used to tease me about this.  Of course the first animal I ran over, a rabbit, he had to be in the car.  Eric wanted to visit his family, in Pennsylvania, and invited me to come along.  I did.  After that we moved in together, and began our journey.  Our visit to PA would have been in June of 1999.  He continued to work at the garage and I continued to work at the library.