February 1st, 1985

*****Posted by Alan, Part 1 of our 25th anniversary series.

February 1st is not a date I ordinarily take notice of. It’s not a birthday or holiday or wedding anniversary. But this past week, as Marivic and I approach our 25th wedding anniversary, the date February 1st has rushed to the forefront of my mind. February 1st, 1985 was the “beginning of the beginning” of our life together leading to that ceremony in the Salt Lake Temple on April 26th, 1985.

Everyone’s love story is special and I don’t claim that ours is more interesting than any other. But our love story is somewhat unique and it kicked into high gear on February 1st, 1985, 25 years ago Monday. It’s the significance of that date that’s causing me to jump into the silver anniversary mode, three months early.

For those who do not know the story, Marivic and I met in March of 1983 when, as a missionary, I was transferred to the mission home and assigned to her ward, Cebu Ward 5. Right under the mission president’s nose I became acquainted with my future wife. Don’t worry, neither of us had a clue of our future together at that point and no rules were broken. Suffice it to say there was an unspoken interest there which neither of us knew was mutual. Furthermore, neither of us sought this nor expected it. Then on June 15th, 1983 when Marivic departed for her mission to the Northern Philippines, (my companion and I drove her and her family to the airport that day) we shook hands goodbye assuming we would never see each other again. For me it felt a pity because even with the complete absence of romance I had long since realized Marivic was a very special person.

Fortunately, we began corresponding through letters and for the next nine months, the remainder of my mission, we slowly allowed tiny hints of feelings to be expressed. Within a week or two of my return home in April, 1984, I knew I wanted to marry Marivic and I was determined to make it happen. But she still had nine months left on her mission so the letter writing would have to continue.

This brings us to February 1st, 1985, almost. In the 2nd nine months of our letter writing our expressions of love, etc. were far more explicit (still rated G) than in the first nine months. By the end of Marivic’s mission, January 3rd, 1985, we were ready to reunite ASAP and I had already decided that I would return to the Philippines for a proper courtship rather than simply send for her.

But there was a major problem with my plan. Even way back then I worked in television and even way back then February was ratings which meant no time off, even for floor directors. I did not want to wait another four weeks. What’s a 21-year-old who’s in love to do? I quit my job. And so on Friday, February 1st, 1985, 11 days after Ronald Reagan’s 2nd Inauguration, 25 years ago Monday, this young kid departed Salt Lake City bound for Cebu City and Marivic Cuyos.

I didn’t think of it in these terms at the time, but this was an adventure. My parents took me to the airport for a 6:30 a.m. flight to San Francisco on United Airlines. What must they have been thinking? They didn’t know this Filipina their son wanted to marry. I was a clueless 21-year-old kid. Yet they supported me and trusted me every step of the way.

When my flight arrived in San Francisco it was still pretty early in the morning. My international fight was on Philippine Airlines and departed at 10:30 p.m. I had about 15 hours to figure out how to get from the airport to downtown San Francisco, find the Philippine Consulate, apply for a visitor’s visa (without an appointment) and get back to the airport in time for my flight. And I should mention I had to figure out all of this without the Internet or a cell phone.

I saw a sign that said “Ground Transportation” and followed it outside the terminal. I was able to take a bus into the city for $11 roundtrip. Upon arrival a giant map at the bus stop helped me figure out I was about six blocks from the consulate at 447 Sutter Street. At the consulate I was given an application for a visa to fill out and told to return at 2 p.m. At least now I had an appointment. It was around 9:15 a.m.

Now that I had many hours to kill I was able to slow down and enjoy the city. I noticed a lot of Super Bowl XIX banners hanging from office windows and flag poles. The San Francisco 49ers had defeated Miami less than two weeks earlier. “Wow! I’m in San Francisco, by my self. It’s the middle of Winter and it’s like 65 degrees. Look how tall these buildings are! Where are the Cable Cars?”

I climbed aboard a Mason Street cable car at Sutter and Powell and headed toward Fisherman’s Wharf. As I crossed Lombard Street I saw the “Crookedest Street in the World” to my left and Coit Tower to my right. “This is incredible!” After wandering around Fisherman’s Wharf for an hour it didn’t take long for the thrill to wear off. I was more interested in getting that visa, getting back to the airport and getting on that plane to Marivic. First I had lunch at McDonalds on Taylor Street, a Big Mac and extra-large fries. I point that out because prior to that McDonalds visit I’d only ever seen two sizes for french fries at the Golden Arches, large or small. So I can actually pinpoint the precise place and moment that my waistline began to expand, but I digress.

Back at the consulate my 2pm interview got off to a rocky start. There was concern that I worked in television. I had to explain that I was just a studio camera operator, not a journalist. That didn’t seem to satisfy the interviewer so I explained further that in fact, I had quit my job days earlier to make this trip. That too was the wrong thing to say. Now they’re seeing me as an unemployed bum. I literally had to beg them to give me a visa by explaining the purpose of my trip. They finally relented, stamped and signed my passport. I departed relieved, and made my way past Union Square and the St. Francis Hotel to find the bus stop to take the 2nd half of my $11 dollar trip, back to the airport.

When I arrived at the airport the Philippine Airlines counter wasn’t even open yet. I found a restaurant and ate dinner. By this point in the day I was feeling pretty alone in the world. I had never done anything like this and the trip had just begun. However, I was still on the proverbial “Cloud Nine" knowing my journey was underway and I was finally going to be with Marivic after all the longing and waiting.

After dinner I made my way to the Philippine Airlines counter and was among the first to check in. Then there was just one more order of business. In Cebu I would be staying with LDS members, Sister Carmen Nunez and her family. She had a sister living in Sacramento who was to meet me at the San Francisco Airport with a care package for me to carry and deliver to Carmen. She was to meet me at the PAL counter but when the agreed upon time came and went without her showing up I eventually decided to pass through security and head to the gate where I still had hours to wait. No sooner had I slipped on the headphones of my Sony Walkman II when I heard the page overhead, “Alan Marsden. Please report to the Philippine Airlines counter.” I would be carrying that package after all. Carmen’s sister Elena was there, expressed gratitude for the favor, and we parted ways.

By 10 p.m. the boarding procedure began. I was thrilled and exhausted at the same time, but nowhere in my mind or in my heart did I feel foolish, crazy or stupid. Yes, I quit my job and now I’m spending all this money  to go back to the Philippines, where I had been serving as a missionary just 10 months earlier, to court a girl who, one could easily argue, I hardly knew. But no such thoughts entered my 21-year-old brain. I wanted on-board that 747 now and it couldn’t get me to Marivic Cuyos fast enough. Finally I was seated on-board, seat 31A. Anyone who’s ever flown on Philippine Airlines knows that PAL actually stands for “plane always late,” and that night it was late, by more than an hour. But eventually we were in the air, landing gear up and over the Pacific. February 1st, 1985 came to an end.

Part 2, "February 3, 1985:The Arrival" will be posted on Wednesday February 3, for those interested.