From Towson, With Love
At TU, thousands of romances, like the one between Robert Padgett ’06 and Kimberly Padgett ’07, have blossomed in dorm rooms, dining halls and at dance parties—no swiping right necessary.
Robby’s Story
We had a class together, but I never talked to her. I still remember seeing her there, but we never interacted.
We had a mutual friend in a TV production class the next semester who organized a group. We got to know each other a little bit, but there was no real love interest. After our projects were done I suggested to the whole class that we celebrate. We ended up going out one Thursday night to Padonia Station.
There was one moment when I was up on the stage and LL Cool J’s ‘Doin’ It’ came on. We started dancing and the sparks hit. I noticed the way that she moved.
Our first official date was at Applebee’s in Towson. I was always someone who was awkward going up to girls, and with her it was very comfortable.
When she went to New York—that part never worried me. I would call her pretty much
every day. She wouldn’t always pick up the first time, but I eventually got hold of
her.
I knew that I was going to marry her when we were at my apartment before she was
heading to the airport. I actually had a seizure. When I woke up in the hospital,
I saw her and I knew that she was supposed to be on a plane.
I decided to propose at Towson. It was such a nerve-racking day. I remember sweating profusely and trying to make it seem like I was not nervous.
We went and sat in Stephens Hall and watched the dance team practice. When I got her outside I got down on one knee. It took her a solid 15 to 20 seconds to realize what was going on. Then she jumped up and down.
She is the one that can make me laugh the most. If I can stay at home and sit on the couch with her and watch TV, that’s the best night for me.
Some of my favorite little moments are when she passes out on my shoulder and a tiny little bit of drool gets on my shirt. It’s silly, but that’s the kind of stuff that I love.
Kimmy’s Story
Robby and I met in a video production class but we didn’t really know each other. The following semester we had another class together and we had to form a project group. A mutual friend said, ‘How about Robby?’ and I actually said, ‘Who is Robby?’ She said, ‘He was in our class last semester,’ and I said, ‘OK, I don’t care.’
We just did schoolwork for the whole semester until right before we let out for winter break. We as a class went out one night to Padonia Station. Typically my outings were with my dance team friends, but I figured why not, I’ll go and meet new people.
He started dancing, and he had rhythm, which a lot of guys do not, so that piqued my interest. He was also really nice. It was different to see him out in the world, not in a class setting.
Over the next few weeks we hung out a little bit more, and then right before we left for Christmas he officially asked me to be his girlfriend.
I ended up dancing for the Knicks for five years—and we dated long distance. In the very beginning we took Greyhound buses probably once every two months. Neither one of us really had money. It was as frequent as we could make it. He would call me every day—it took a little bit for me to get used to picking up the phone and talking to somebody every day. I wasn’t necessarily a phone person before him.
He proposed to me outside Stephens Hall during my last season on the Knicks. To be honest I don’t even remember what he said. I just remember him pulling out a ring and proposing.
Now we live in North Hollywood, California. I’m a fitness instructor, and I’m still a professional dancer. I just wrapped a show called Sherman’s Showcase that will be on IFC. He’s a technical director for NBC News.
We have an adorable terrier named Ollie who we adopted two years ago. Robby is very sweet, very kind and goofy. He and Ollie together are quite the pair. They keep me laughing.