To really put it into perspective, the photo on the left is of the couple a month after they started dating in 1994. They were in their late 20’s. The photo on the right is from their wedding day, 22 years later, when the Supreme Court finally legalized same-sex marriage. The grooms were now in their early 50’s. It’s heartbreaking to see how long Paul and Eliav waited to make their union official— but it’s also a testimony to their love for each other.
Their love story began in New York City in the early 90’s. Eliav, was 29 at the time and tired of looking for love. So he placed an ad in the back of the Chicago Reader (Keep in mind this was before the internet was a thing—there was no Facebook or dating apps yet.) In his ad, Eliav stated he was looking for a handsome, serious, educated man, who, like himself, was well-traveled, enjoyed art, and was looking to settle down. Paul remembers reading the ad and thinking, “well this is one pretentious fellow, but maybe it’s worth a shot!” The two talked on the phone and then set a date to meet for lunch. That date was January 15th, 1994 – the 5th coldest day in Chicago’s history.
Eliav was the first to arrive at the agreed upon Mediterranean spot, only to find out it was closed due to the weather. So he stood outside waiting for Paul who ended up being 15 minutes late. When Paul finally arrived in his Ford Tempo, Eliav was nearly froze to the sidewalk. The two ended up going to a different place for lunch and shared a wonderful first date.
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