kyra-mike.net - beshert.com

We first met December 4, 1995. Well actually that was when the first email was sent. We actually met on Friday, February 9, 1996. That was in person. And we could of met in December of 1989 in Philadelphia - but we never did.

it all started innocently enough. all i wanted was some information about what some of the kids had been talking about on the USY listserve. what i got was a whole lot more.

FROM: Mike 12/4/95 4:44pm
TO: Kyra
SUBJECT: Re: the blue ribbon project

Hi Kyra... just a quick question for you...
...also, how long have you been working for Ar/Fax? I worked with the Youth Department at Beth El - Bethesda for the past two years before
moving up here to NJ.
-- Mike

This sounded innocent enough, didn’t it? I mean, it’s not like I’m the kind of guy who tries to start relationships over the Internet, am I?

Okay. Perhaps I am. Perhaps I have been. But I knew that this wasn’t the case. I was happily dating a woman up in New York. This was pure curiosity. I wanted to know if she knew my friends. It would probably be a short email back, and “Oh, wow! We know the same people!” and then we’d move on with our lives.

FROM: Kyra 1/26/96 3:12pm
TO: Mike
SUBJECT: Group Seven

…so what is your life story, aside from that you used to be active in seaboard….you’ll have to let me know exactly when you will be at the museum. It would be interesting to meet another name from the listserv.

kyra :)

so there i was sitting at my desk when i get a phone call saying that there is a guy named mike waiting for me at the information desk. i ran over there, half nervous with anticipation (after all, i’d be meeting someone that I had been “talking” to for a couple months now, someone who i’ve felt that i’ve gotten to know pretty well.) the other half of me was really upset that he didn’t call before he came over. as soon as i walked into the room i knew exactly who he was - so i ran over and hugged him. we talked for awhile, and then my friend met up with us, and we all went out to lunch.

my friend tells me that from that moment, she knew that mike and i would be together. i just knew that he was a nice guy, and that I would NEVER get involved in another long distance relationship.

FROM: Mike 2/12/96 6:01pm
TO: Kyra
SUBJECT:
Re: Re:[2]: boker tov

Okay… I may give you a call and blow another wad of money on the phone bill. Our conversation last week was really great! I found lots of interesting
stuff about you…(-:

Seriously, I had a good time talking to you and I hope we do it again. If you want to call me this time, that’s fine as well. (I’m so subtle, aren’t
I?)

Talk to you soon…

- Mike

But then she has the gall to call me and tell me something. “Look,” she starts, “I don’t think that a relationship between us would work.” Like I’ve even asked her! I confronted her about it, and she thinks that I’ve been sending out relationship signals. Right…

Not that a relationship with her would bad or anything. I’ve known her in person for a few weeks, but I’ve known her in spirit since December. And it even seems longer than that. Sure, I’m attracted to her. Maybe this is her way of telling me that she feels the same way about me. But how do I find out? I decide to pursue this agenda item in my mind a little further…

FROM: Kyra 3/5/96 12:57pm
TO: Mike
SUBJECT: Re: Grover and other superheroes…

…good friends are good to have - especially those of the opposite sex. it’s always good to have an outside opinion from someone who isn’t related
to you and who cares about you.

i’ll try to call sometime this week. with this fun commute out to oblivion, by the time I come home, workout, eat, and read the paper, i usually crash due to exhaustion.

k. :)

this is getting better every time. we talk, we write, we get together whenever he is in town. he even stayed here when he came in for a job interview. it’s nice to know that i have someone who understands a lot of what i’m going through. it’s a shame that i feel i am the perfect girl for him, because now is not the right time. i mean, he just got out of a relationship and i’m trying to figure out what to do with one. on the other hand, he is a nice jewish boy, who I have so much in common with - we’re practically the same person. even my cat likes him!

i still find it all very strange and amazing that we both attended USY international convention ’89 and were never introduced! after all, his prom date was in my USY israel pilgrimage group. mike is right about one thing, if things keep up like this, one of us will have to install a WATS line.

FROM: Mike 4/30/96 3:58pm
TO: Kyra
SUBJECT: Re: matching for G-d

...I hope you found the cat okay...As I unlocked the door (I left at about 5:15 or so), I found her ready to race for the door. So chased her (kinda) into your room, trying to hold her and cuddle up with her and stuff. So she ran. What a great effect I have on females!

Anyhow, the trip home was smooth sailing Talk to you soon!

m. :)

Okay. I better explain that one. I don't want you to think that I regularly leave women's apartments before daybreak...

You see, I had a job interview. It was for a position working with USY in their southeastern region, working with Jewish kids who were a lot like I had been in high school. The interview was in the DC area, and I decided to stay with Kyra. After my interview, I was tense and confused. I didn't know where my future was headed! Luckily, Kyra was there to help me make sense of it all, to comfort me, and to ease my mind. I slept on her sofa-bed that evening. Kyra said, jokingly, that she wanted to be next to me that night. I began to wish she hadn't been joking.

Here we were: Another episode with USY, another episode with Kyra. The two seemed to flow together with the same level of increased intensity. And USY Spring Convention was coming up soon. Another extended, intense period of time with Kyra. Where would the intensity lead?

FROM: Kyra 5/20/96 1:49pm
TO: Stacey
SUBJECT: you won’t believe this one...

...we were walking back to the dance and stopped a second to look at the stars - we hugged and then it happened. we kissed. i freaked, and he was
really frustrated with me because he knew that i felt the same thing as him, but was holding back (this was true)...we both agree that we don’t
want to ruin our friendship and that we have made the right decision. so it’s safe to say that we are dating, or seeing each other, or something.
it’s all so new, but we are both very happy.

k. :)

We first began our lives together on May 19, 1996. That was when we shared our first kiss. We actually fell in love in June 1996. That was beshert. And it all could have begun in previous months or even previous years - but waited until the time was right.

beshert.com

by mike scheinberg and kyra schuster