Ok....
Back when I was 16, I was up at the Edinburgh festival. I'd met a few techie types whilst doing work experience, and ended up meeting most of the comedy circuit at the time. It was fucking great, going to every house party and being plied with all sorts of booze and narcotics. And then I met Mick.

He'd sat down next to me in a bar, and we had instantly clicked. You know how you just start talking to someone and everything else melts away? Well, tht was the two of us. Only one small slight issue- he was 38. But we were mates instantly, and that was all that mattered. We spent the next week glued together at every party.

At the end of our week together, I was trying to shake off a bloke who I'd snogged drunkenly earlier on and who was telling anyone who listened I was his girlfriend, and Mick was being persued by some blond thing who was adamant that he was the one for her. He'd tried to get her into a quiet corner to tell her about his (fictional) wife and three kids, but she pulled him into a toilet cubicle. After shouting for the bouncer, the two of us legged it.

We went to another bar until we were kicked out at 4am. I had a train home later that day, so we walked arm in arm around the city, just talking (still just mates here). After a few hours, he asked me if I fancied him.

"Fuck" thinks I, stupid 16 year old me has ballsed up this friendship. Because I had fallen for him so hard over the last week. I hadn't even thought I was capable of feeling this much about a single human being. And I was doing my damndest not to show it to this incredible man, because with a 22 year age gap we couldn't honestly be more than mates, right?

However, I make a point not to lie. "um, kinda" I saucily replied.

"Good. Then I guess we can be mates that fancy each other then"

(Bear with the flirting, neither of us are any bloody good at it. I still have no idea whatsoever if someone's interested in me)

We had a coffee. We walked down to the meadows and lay on the grass, and watched as the sun rose. And then we leaned towards each other and had the shyest, most gentle kiss ever.

From that day we have been inseperable. I was still at school- I had to deal with having a boyfriend older than some of the teachers, he had to deal with every one of his mates asking what the hell he was playing at. But we've stuck with each other, because there is no way I can be without him. When we're apart, it hurts so much. I never knew that I could feel so much for someone that just lying next to him would make me gasp with the swell of emotion. He's my best mate, my rock, and the best fucking lover in the whole damn world.

We've been together for just over 5 years now, and people do accept us for what we are these days. We've been living together for almost the same amount of time. We worked together for 3 years so that we would never be apart, and now we both work from home together. Every day I look at him and feel more in love with him, and he tells me the same all the time. We honestly can't go more than a day apart before rushing into each other's arms again. We have no secrets.

Regardless of other people's judgements, follow your heart. Because 5 years ago we knew this wasn't some simple "lets be together because we're bored". There is no way I'd be in a relationship with this age gap if I had any choice, but that's what Mick is, and I love the wisdom he brings to me, and he loves the clarity I give to him.

And he still keeps me up til 3 every night :D
( Madam Marlboro wonders if you've found her yet, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:04, 17 replies)

Good luck
age is only a number. It needn't be a barrier when real feelings are involved. You've got over the first shocked reactions, which I remember when my friend met her husband (12 years older, and she was 17).

Aaaaaaaaaw

Oh, and *click* for meeting in god's own city!
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:06, closed)

Aw bless.
Normally one would dismiss such serious feelings at such a young age but obviously this has worked and was meant to be.

How lucky you are : )
( girlinthehole, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:20, closed)

Age gap doesn't matter
I worked with a woman who's daughter (about my age) was married to a 73 year old. They had twins together. probably still together (unless he's popped his clogs by now...)
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:26, closed)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwww :o)
*click* for you really are a classy lady!
( Tourette's ( . )( . ) has a monkey hair in her fried egg, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:37, closed)

That...
is fucking awesome.

I've tried to write something sensible/insightful about 9 times and then deleted it. But I can't.

I'm actually blown away by the power of this post.
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:47, closed)

This post
made my heart feel all puffy.
I don't really know what else to say apart from I wish every happiness to you both! :D
( wanderlust, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:50, closed)

That's really, really something.
You've made a jaded cynic smile wistfully.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:52, closed)

That's the best story this week.
No question about it.
I don't go in for all of this "awh, that's so lovely" stuff, but I got a bit of a warm feeling from that, and after checking I haven't pissed myself.

All the best to you, I enjoyed meeting him, and of course you, you're both fuckin' awesome.
( Cawl, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 15:54, closed)

In the same vein of the other replies, but I had to say something!
This was absolutely wonderful to read :-) good luck to the both of you, absolutely beautiful.
(Lucoire tutted and shook her head in disbelief on, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 16:14, closed)

fan-bloody-tastic
There's 17 years between me and MsDchurch, but it matters not.

We had all sorts of crap along the way - "what are you doing with a child, you pedo?" from my matews (she was 18, so not a child, just in case you ask).

We've been living together for 3 years now and neither of us could be happier.

We no longer get any ribbing from anyone...not even my dad, who was very much in the boat of "she's got no life experience, what do you think you are doing. Far too young, etc..."
(dchurch bah, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 16:27, closed)

!
Good for you, Sweetie. Hang on to him, he sounds lovely.
(TDub Nunc id vides, nunc ne vides on, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 16:47, closed)

age doesn't matter, only love.
you've lasted this long, despite the nay-sayers. if you love each other(and you certainly seem to), there's no reason on earth why you shouldn't have a long, happy and fulfilled life together.
good luck to you both.
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 18:30, closed)

Yay! This post gives me the fuzzies
because me and my boyfriend are 25 years apart, but we're so madly in love with each other and didn't realise until I was in England for 2 weeks.
( Batshitmentalist is sane for once, Tue 2 Sep 2008, 20:20, closed)

Good for you (and him)
My big bro and his misses met when she was 21 and he was 36. They're still together now - 13 years later and the age gap hardly shows at all now as they are so together. I have to say, she was a grown up 21 and he was a very immature 36, but then again, he's a very immature 49 today!!

BTW, have you tried ear-plugs. Keeping you up til 4am must be very annoying. It is his snoring isn't it? (hee hee)
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Wed 3 Sep 2008, 13:42, closed)

Age
My girl friend of four years is 21 years younger than me. Blokes tend to be okay about it jealous looks now and again. Some women especially one’s around her own age have a real problem about us. Usually perfect strangers, one particular girl on a night out would not give it up, even followed her into the toilets, until my girl explained if she didn’t leave her alone she was going to need face reconstruction surgery. Have you found the same thing ?
(nee22 NL ExPat, Wed 3 Sep 2008, 15:25, closed)

Very heart warming
And the last line cracked me up.
( Captain V, Wed 3 Sep 2008, 16:55, closed)

@nee22
I overhear smarmy comments such as "oh, he must be rich", I've also heard "what the fuck's he doing with her, she's young but not drop dead gorgeous or anything" - I tend to just ignore it.
( Batshitmentalist is sane for once, Wed 3 Sep 2008, 18:13, closed)