Linda Bousman had been married to Jorge Rodriguez for more than six years. The couple were happy and often joked about Linda being nine years older than Jorge.
“I’d say, ‘You’re gonna take care of me when I get old,’ ” Linda said.
Tragedy struck in October 2002 when, at 35, Jorge died at the Edmonds Top Foods store where he worked as the grocery manager.
“He collapsed at work one night and they couldn’t revive him,” Linda said.
Linda was devastated. She never thought she would find love again.
As time passed, Linda tried dating. She was in a relationship for about 18 months. Linda was happy that there was no long-term commitment.
“I was kinda scared to get married again after what had happened,” Linda said.
Little did Linda know that love was waiting for her in, of all places, the alley.
Linda was at work in Edmonds when she spotted the garbage man and asked him to take away a long-dead Christmas tree.
“I thought he was very attractive and very nice,” Linda said.
Every Tuesday morning, Linda would look for him. It got to be a joke in her office.
“We’d see the truck come,” Linda said. “Everyone would laugh and say, ‘Here’s the garbage man.’ “
Gene Nicholson couldn’t see Linda watching him as he worked in the alley. When Linda did venture out, the two would exchange pleasantries.
“He would say something like, ‘It’s a nice day,’ ” Linda said.
One day when Linda wasn’t expecting Gene and she was hiding out behind a hedge to get away from the phones at work, he pulled up and got out of his vehicle.
Gene asked Linda what she was doing there. She said she was hiding and just needed a break. The couple chatted. She told him she was a widow. He was divorced.
Gene asked if Linda would like to go to dinner sometime. He gave her his phone number.
The couple didn’t talk for a few days. When Gene found out that Linda was sick, he went to her office with a bouquet of flowers and a get-well card. Throughout the next month, they called each other every night and soon found out that they had gone to junior high and high school together, lived close to each other and knew some of the same people.
When it was time to go on a date, Linda was scared. She didn’t call Gene all weekend. The following Tuesday was garbage day. He saw her and just stared. She motioned to him to come over to talk. They went on their first date.
The next day Linda went into the office and said, “I’m going to marry that man.”
Linda Bousman and Gene Nicholson of Edmonds were married June 2 at Puget Sound Christian Church in Edmonds.
Linda has a daughter and Gene has two children.
Linda says that Gene is the kindest person she has ever met. She feels lucky to have him as her husband.
“He is so compassionate about the loss I went through,” Linda said. “On the anniversary of my husband’s death, he got me flowers and a card.”
The card said that Linda should look toward her future and never forget her past. She says she will never forget the love that she had for Jorge and what he had for her.
“It just feels like I’ve been given a new lease on life,” Linda said.
Linda said that Gene always says he loves her to the moon and back, and that’s the most wonderful feeling.
“I love him more than words can say,” Linda said. “What a wonderful life I have.”
For information on Love Story and Celebrations, call Christina Harper at 425-339-3491 or e-mail harper@heraldnet.com.
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