Harvey Hand-Me-Downs: Jack & Anupa's Story

Handed down by: Jack & Anupa Harvey

This is our story:

We Met. Jack remembers when he first saw me, and can even recall that I was wearing a white Pacific Tigers sweatshirt and black “swishy” pants. I only remember that I was in the middle of a class at the Institute, and Jack walked in. He was newly returned from his mission and wanted to check out the schedule for institute classes and meet the director. I vaguely remember him sitting at the round table at the back of the class. Not much happened.

We got to know each other. I remember our first real conversation took place at a baptism. I strategically sat down next to Jack so I could flirt with him. The new convert was afraid of the water, and it took several tries behind the closed curtains before the ordinance could be completed. During that time, the congregation was asked to sing hymns. That’s when I first discovered Jack could sing. We struck up a conversation about music.

Not long after that we attended a fireside in the Brookside building in Stockton. It was a fast Sunday. I remember because I had been fasting that if I wasn’t focused on the right things, that I would have a desire for someone or something else. Jack sat down at the piano after the fireside was over, and I decided to follow him to the piano bench. We sat there talking for a long time…maybe more than an hour.

I couldn’t wait to see him until our date that Friday, so I called him Tuesday evening to come over and help me babysit a neighbor’s baby. Jack told me that he knew then that I liked him. He was right. On March 9, 2004 I wrote in my journal, “I feel like I want to write this down so I remember this. I really like Jack Harvey.”

We went out. Our first official date was on Friday, March 12 at an Indian restaurant in Berkeley, called Pasand. I met his parents (on the first date!) at his place and we drove in his little green Ford Aspire out to the bay area. It was his first time eating Indian food, and he seemed to like it. After dinner we held hands and walked around the little shops on Shattuck Avenue for awhile before driving back to Manteca.

(While we were dating)

We broke up. Wait, what? Yes, anticlimactic as it seems, we broke up after a few weeks. I was graduating and moving away in a few months and consequently didn't know how our relationship could progress. (Don't worry too much: we did get back together.) But these are Kathy's words about the time we were apart:

"I remember how hard that was on Jack - he went to the temple, he sat at Nana's grave and then turned it over to the Lord's will. Then, he had the shoulder surgery and you dropped off the package on the door step - just missing our return by minutes. Jack had loads of people calling him to come by, but my directions were - no visitors, he just wanted to rest -too much pain. You called Friday and wanted to drop by on your way to a young adult activity in Turlock (I think). He heard me say your name and called from the couch -'Anupa can stop by.' You came to visit and never made it to the activity. I think that was the turning point for both of you."

That pretty much sums it up.

He proposed. On Saturday, March 12, 2005 we went back to Pasand 1 year after our first date. Jack took me to pier 39 in San Francisco afterward, and we ducked out behind the buildings for a view of the boats at the dock. He had asked my father’s permission first, and now asked if I would marry him. I said yes. You know the rest.