“Can I kiss you? I just paid $1.25 for your dinner.”

It’s a pickup line from 1953, but we’re not sure what dates it more: asking a woman for permission to kiss her or spending five quarters on her dinner?

While pickup lines may have changed a bit since that time, the sentiments surrounding them are the same. It was 72-year-old Dick Walls’ feelings and that line that landed the Fort Wayne resident the girl.

He was one of several people who shared their tales of love for Valentine’s Day by completing the line: “I knew my partner loved me when …”

Here’s what they said. Some of the stories have been edited for space.

You can read more love stories at www.journalgazette.net. Just click Features and then this headline.

jyouhana@jg.net

Dick Walls, 72, Fort Wayne

The year is 1953. I asked this pretty young girl to our church Valentine dinner. I had been dating her for three months, taking her to church, ballgames, movies. I was so bashful; I did not have the nerve to ask to hold her hand. After the Valentine dinner, I drove her home in my 1948 Packard. I opened her car door, and my nerve got up, and I said, “Can I kiss you? I just paid $1.25 for your dinner,” and to my surprise, she said, “OK,” and we now have been married for 52 years.

Tom Ackmann, 49, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when she gave me her phone number from 700 miles away. Back in 2002, I worked at a liquor store in Avilla. Our store needed a new fax machine, and I found one with a $10 rebate from the manufacturer. I had a question, so I called a help line in New Jersey.

The woman on the line was very helpful and pleasant, and she seemed to enjoy whatever jokes I was making. We laughed a little more, and then she said she had to move on to the next caller. I took a chance and told her I liked talking to her and would like to talk to her again. She said she did not give out her number to strangers, especially potential weirdos on the phone. I pointed out that I was over 700 miles away, and even if I was a little strange, I didn’t have any plans to be in New Jersey anytime soon. She eventually said, “OK, I will give you my home number.”

Later, she told me that she didn’t think I would call her, but later that night, I got up the nerve, and we talked for almost two hours. We started talking four to five times a week. In December 2002, I flew to New Jersey, and we saw each other in person for the first time at the airport. That night, we exchanged Christmas gifts, and I asked her what she was doing for the rest of her life. She said, “Spending it with you.” I then told her there was one more gift and gave her an engagement ring. In March 2003, she moved to Fort Wayne, and we were married in May of that year.

Andrea Wells, 28, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner, Randy, loved me while we were still in the dating stage. We decided to take a walk along a path in the woods at Foster Park by the river. We had both bought one of those 25-cent machine rings and wore them around our necks at all times. We decided to tie our rings together and cast them into the river and stated that as long as the rings stayed together, our relationship would also. I still wonder, 11 years later, where those rings have ended up, but I know they must still be tied side-by-side.

Rhonda Dove, 52, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when he said red was his favorite color because it was the color of my hair.

Audrey Winhover, 17, Antwerp, Ohio

I knew my partner loved me the day we got engaged. After our school homecoming dance, Trent blindfolded me and led me to his patio in his backyard. When he removed my blindfold, I was in tears. He had the patio all decorated with candles and flowers. He whispered in my ear how beautiful I looked and gave me a big hug. He had made a CD of all my favorite love songs and started playing it. We danced under the moonlight with all the candles and flowers. He then got down on one knee and asked me to be the love of his life forever. We sat out that night under the stars and talked to each other for a long time, crying and embracing what had just happened.

Greg Powell, 55, Churubusco

I knew my partner loved me when, after dating for only a few weeks in our late teens, she stayed late into the night with me at my trailer when I wasn’t feeling well, even though she knew she would be in a lot of trouble when she went home for violating her curfew. This was in January 1973. We married in June of that year and have been happily married ever since. We will be married 37 years on June 22.

Michael Howell, 60, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner (now my best friend and wife of 16 years) loved me when, on our third date at a nice quiet restaurant, she leaned across the table and announced that she needed to tell me something of importance. Her “news” was that she had been diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer two years earlier, had undergone and survived radical mastectomy surgery and a year of chemotherapy treatments and was now in that waiting period hoping to attain that magical five-year window of being cancer-free.

After sharing this information, she told me that she was excusing herself to the bathroom and that if I were uncomfortable with her news and chose to leave prior to her returning, that she totally understood. Needless to say, I didn’t budge. I figured anyone considerate enough to give me an “out” from a budding relationship was worth pursuing. We were married three years later, and this July she will celebrate – we both will celebrate – 22 years of her being cancer-free.

Corrie Hixson, 29, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when he helped make a secret dream of mine come true. I had always wanted to perform in the Civic Theatre but had given up hope years ago. One day I casually mentioned that auditions for "The Producers" were coming up, and from that point on, John became my personal cheerleader. He went so far as to drive me to the audition and wait there for the duration, more than four hours. A week later, I received that phone call telling me I was in the production, and the first thing I did was call John and thank him for encouraging me. He went on to support and care for me through the rehearsal and performance process, even attending five of the eight shows. His love makes me a better, stronger person, and my life is blessed because he is in it. Deborah Rollins, 49, Auburn

I knew my partner loved me when we had been dating for about two years. He surprised me by flying to the Mayo Clinic, taking his only week of vacation at a new job to be there for me while I underwent a total colectomy due to ulcerative colitis.

Pauline Minnich, 73, Geneva

I knew my boyfriend loved me when he asked me to elope. He was 20, and I was 17. We were of different religions, and my parents forbid me to date Richard. He joined the Army, and after his basic training he came back to get me. I had just graduated high school. He was reporting to a camp in Georgia and took me with him. We had three months together before they shipped him to Korea for 1?1/2? years. He came back in March 1956, and we started our family. We have four children, eight grandchildren and seven greats. We will celebrate 56 years of marriage in July 2010. By the way, my folks learned to love him as they did me.

Sylvia Hahn, 50, Kendallville

I knew my partner loved me when he asked me to marry him. We met at a singles dance in Fort Wayne and got married four months later. This year will mark our 20th wedding anniversary!

Mary Koeneman, 82, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when I saw that eye-popping diamond ring on the white tablecloth at Hartley's restaurant. A man doesn't spend that much money unless he really loves his woman.

It was a frigid night in January, and we were celebrating the anniversary of our first real date as a couple. I know that I loved this man and, as a 62-year-old widow, I knew what love is really about. He was a confirmed bachelor of 43 and seemed reluctant to commit to anything more than warm friendship. We spent all of our leisure time together. I made lovely breakfasts for him at my house; he made terrible instant coffee for me at his house. We enjoyed being together, but I was never sure if he cared as much as I did. I thought the age difference bothered him.

That night at Hartley's when he asked me to marry him was the first time he actually said, "I love you." We were married the following September and now, nearly 20 years later, he says "I love you" every day and in every way.

Linda Stayer, 60, Auburn

I knew my partner loved me when he sold his prized motorcycle to buy me an engagement ring. We got married three months later when we were both 19 years old. We both got jobs and purchased our first home, a 10-by-50 unfurnished, used house trailer. Now, 41 years later, we have three married children and seven wonderful grandchildren. I have my own business and he has three successful businesses. We travel for enjoyment and guess what? We still love each other!

Diane Laurence, 68, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when I asked him if I was fat. He answered, "If you please you, you will please me." Also, I asked him how I could make his life better. He told me he didn't want anything different - just more of the same. That's why I've stayed single since 1991, when he passed away with cancer at age 50.

Joyce Esper, 67, Fort Wayne

Arlow and his wife of 45 years, Carolyn, and my husband of 30 years, Jon, and I had been friends since we were young kids living in the same neighborhood.

In February of 2007, Carolyn passed. By this time, my husband Jon was sick and needed 24-7 care. We invited Arlow to move in with us - to help him have a better life and help me in keeping the income up. My husband Jon died March 29, 2009. Arlow and Jon had bonded, and Arlow said he would take care of me if Jon passed.

Arlow and I have been together for the last 11 months. We are trying desperately to save enough to get my ring out of layaway for Valentine's and have a wedding by Aug. 1 - Friendship Day.

I knew my partner Arlow loved me when he got a job, allowing me to be able to quit work and plan our wedding.

Michael Fedock, 47, Columbia City

I asked my soon-to-be-wife, "I knew my partner loved me when ." She said she knew when I asked her to marry me and that I knew she came with two older children and that I'd take care of her and her daughters as if they were my own, and she would do the same with me and my daughter.

Linda Christoffersen, 61, Fort Wayne

I knew my husband loved me when he proposed to me after dating for six weeks. We went to see The Association in concert at the Coliseum in October 1968. After the concert, Mike proposed. He says he wasn't planning on a proposal, but I guess the music worked its magic. We got engaged two months later and married six months after that. Now it's 40 years later, and I'm still very happy that we went to the concert. The Association's hit "Cherish" is "our song."

M. Rexroth, 79, Fort Wayne

I knew my husband loved me when, sitting together on the sofa about a week before his death, he said, "Come closer. I want to hold you in my arms." We would have been married 58 years.

Tim Taylor, 57, Ossian

I knew my partner loved me when she gave me that smile with a spark in her eye that said to me I was special to her. Since July 7, 1983, she still gives me that look, and every time it makes me feel like I'm the only one she will ever see that way.

Patricia Stahlhut, 58, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when he bought me an overpriced rose at O'Hare Airport. Doesn't sound like much, but here's the back story: We got lost driving to our honeymoon, and when we finally arrived, we found they had misplaced our reservation. We accepted a downgrade.

On the drive back, our car was stolen with everything in it in Youngstown, Ohio. "Everything" included my trousseau and the diamond necklace Terry had given me as a wedding gift. We spent hours trying to contact the insurance company. My husband's insurance agent had an unlisted number, and the agent at the toll-free number didn't understand the word "stolen" as in "completely gone." He kept asking if there were scratches around the door lock or was broken glass on the front seat.

The insurance company authorized us to fly back to Fort Wayne. That sounds like a bright spot, except in his haste to get us to the airport, the motel manager very narrowly missed getting us side-swiped by a semi, and we had a bomb scare on the airplane, which turned out to be a desiccated fruitcake.

My new husband had a mild panic attack when landing in Chicago. Flying across Lake Michigan unnerved him when he realized he had jumped from airplanes but had never landed in one.

When I called my parents to arrange to have Dad pick us up at the airport, my mother kept saying, "But Chicago isn't between Fort Wayne and Pennsylvania." That proved to be the proverbial straw. I started to cry when I hung up the phone, and my husband guided me past the chanting Hari Krishnas and purchased the over-priced rose.

That was 33 years ago last October, and we're still together. That just proves that love and the ability to laugh will get you through just about anything.

Deborah Poe, 57, Butler

I knew my boyfriend loved me when he missed work, took me to a colonoscopy appointment at 6 a.m., sat through it for an hour or so, drove me home when I was all goofy and light-headed, and babysat me the rest of the day. My nurse commented that "he seemed very devoted." Now, who could ask for more?

Brian Boggs, 52, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when she became every woman in the world to me. She's my reality, my living fantasy.

Barbara Handschy, 61, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when I got my engagement ring as planned on Valentine's Day. My then boyfriend - now husband of 41 years - had lost his job that day, and I thought there wasn't going to be a ring. He spent every last cent he had to surprise me. Now, we still enjoy celebrating our day of love by having dinner out and remembering.

Steve Kruse, 58, Fort Wayne

I knew my partner loved me when she said, "It won't be the same because Kevin is scheduled to get his braces, and I won't be there for him."

You see, I was a single dad raising two boys, Chad and Kevin, when Mary and I began to date. My concern was for Mary to truly love me she had to love the three of us. Our growing feelings for one another could not be stopped, but I would pull back from time to time, not knowing if she truly loved all three of us.

But the comment about Kevin's braces really opened my eyes to what was in Mary's heart. We just celebrated 25 years of marriage and are still very much in love. It's not a Hollywood love story, but it's mine, and I wouldn't trade it for anyone's.

Amy Young, 55, Hamilton

I knew my partner loved me when he picked my sons and me up at the Toledo airport. We spent Christmas with my family in Florida. Before we left, I had given him an ultimatum. If he really loved me and was ready to get married, then pick us up. If not, then have my parents come to get us. So there he was, waiting for me at the gate.

After our I-dos, my new husband told his mother, "This is it, Mom, this marriage will last forever." Here we are, 25 years later. My husband can tell his mom, "See, I told you this was gonna last."