Augie Sweethearts: Yesenia Reyes '94 Nicoson and Erik Nicoson '96

Submitted by Yesenia Nicoson of Bloomington, Ill.

Erik worked at the library and I worked at the student center. I spent a lot of time in the library where I did more socializing than studying. Unbeknownst to me, he heard me talking and asked my friend if I was Puerto Rican; apparently I had an accent. At around the same time, I noticed him as he¡¯d come into the student center where I worked the switchboard, right across from the mailboxes. I noticed how cute he looked in his jeans. ;)

One day, he got the nerve to stop and chat with me. His pickup line? ¡°I bet you don¡¯t know how to spell my last name!¡± he exclaimed with a challenge in his voice. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked. He proceeded to tell me, and I spelled it correctly. That must have been the sign he was waiting for to ask me out!

Our first date was a group date to the bowling alley. By then I knew I liked him and I had him figured out¡ªhe was competitive. I knew I¡¯d get a second date by betting him I could beat him. Little did I know that he was a really good bowler, and he kicked my butt! It didn¡¯t matter¡ªhe asked me out and we had our first solo date at Happy Joe¡¯s Pizza. We¡¯ve been together ever since. He proposed at the library where he first heard my voice, and we just celebrated our 20th anniversary. And yes, he still looks pretty good in a pair of jeans!