The Free Press proudly presents its annual Valentine's Day feature.

It shares the Love Stories of four Richmond area couples.

Lucille and Harold Green

We met in August 1948 at a 10-cent dance.

I went to the dance with a girlfriend who was hoping to find her true love. I deceived my parents into thinking I would be visiting my girlfriend for a few hours.

That summer night, she didn’t find her true love, but I did.

As I arrived at the dance, a handsome young man introduced himself. With confidence, he said that I could dance with no one but him.

If I close my eyes, I can still see us dancing the Jitterbug so many years ago. I remember us sharing several slow dances as well. Everywhere I went in the dance hall, he was several steps behind. I couldn’t get rid of him. Yet I was intrigued by his persistence.

At the conclusion of the dance, he insisted that he accompany my girlfriend and me home on the city bus. He escorted me to the doorstep of my home, where my father was spying from a bedroom window. I was grounded for weeks as a result.

It was the best grounding I ever had to endure.

If it weren’t for that night, I may have never found my true love.

We dated for four years. In June 1952, we got married. It was Friday the 13th to be exact. My grandmother always told me that the number 13 was a good omen as it was her birthday.

And it certainly has proven to be true. My husband has shown me a wonderful life. We have three children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

My husband was a world-class athlete and this allowed us to travel the world for many years. I have been to every corner of the globe and visited more than 50 countries.

I love my husband with all my heart and would not trade him for a thing in this world. We have a date night every week as he is still quite the romantic.

Lucille is a retired educational evaluator for the state Department of Corrections. Harold is a retired science teacher for Richmond Public Schools.