A body of water, with its ever-changing form, has its own inherent beauty, but plunge into the depths and there’s an entirely new and fascinating world to explore. Experienced diver Charlie Donkers knows the same can be said for personal relationships.

When Charlie ran into Erin Foley at a co-worker’s birthday party in the spring of 2008,  her appearance was striking. Erin had gracefully changed from when he last saw her just a few years before. Shedding her dark makeup and black clothing for a more delicate look, Erin projected a buoyant spirit. And while Charlie was interested in what he saw on the surface, he knew the real treasure lay in what was beneath.

Like any smart explorer though, Charlie waited for the proper conditions before he set out on his adventure.

On the Same Journey

Erin and Charlie grew up mere miles apart and ran in the same circles, but didn’t know each other well. They’d see each other at the cafeteria, at the school pool or through extra curricular activities where their group of friends would congregate.

In many ways, Erin and Charlie were on the same journey, but were just steps apart. Charlie, a year younger than Erin, seemed to follow in her footsteps. The two even worked the same jobs at the same places, but Erin had always moved on before Charlie came on board. 

Sports, academics and  friends occasionally brought Erin and Charlie together during high school, but it was a co-worker from the Northfield Target store, Jessica Hillebrand, that ultimately brought their paths together.

Until that moment, Charlie had little weight in Erin’s mind. To Erin, he was simply the boy who was one of the last to be dropped off from her mother’s school bus route. Now and again Erin caught a ride with her mom when she had plans after school, but rarely interacted with Charlie. She stayed in the back of bus, hood up and headphones on, while Charlie kept to himself in the middle rows.

Charlie’s first lasting impression on Erin came after finals of Erin’s junior year, while they and a group of their friends were off to an opening-day screening of “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Charlie handmade Erin a Draco Malfoy (a character Charlie despised) T-shirt to add to the festive flair of the occasion. 

“(The T-shirt) was awesome!” Erin said.

Charlie’s reviews of Erin weren’t as favorable. He teased her for her choice in Potter paraphernalia and was embarrassed when the opening sequence of the movie was disrupted by Erin’s screams of excitement. Meanwhile, Charlie proudly donned his personally fashioned Hermione Granger T-shirt, which exclaimed: “Witches Can Be Hot Too.”

When Erin and Charlie saw each other at Jessica’s birthday party nearly four years later, their “nerdy” pasts had washed away.

“Oh my gosh, it’s Charlie Donkers,” Erin thought as she first laid eyes on him. “He’s cute!”

Erin and Charlie made small talk about life after high school, and shared a few moments around the bonfire, but their bashful personalities afforded little in the way of romance that night.

However, soon after the party Erin asked Jessica to play matchmaker since she was still working with Charlie and Erin was heading back to her college home at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. 

With her 21st birthday in only a few weeks, Erin suggested Jessica bring Charlie out to for the celebration.

“I had my friends do the hard work for me, because I’m shy,” Erin said.

Charlie wasn’t entirely wise to Jessica’s true objectives when Erin’s invitation was passed. 

“I thought it was a bit random,” Charlie said. “But I thought I’d go, because I could hang out with Erin. She was cute, because she wasn’t Gothic anymore.”

The night after Erin’s 21st birthday, Charlie, Jessica and a group of their Target cohorts carpooled to Erin’s new apartment  about an hour’s drive away in River Falls. In short time, Erin and Charlie were clicking. They realized that on top of their shared friends, they played the same video games, listened to the same music, and loved the same movies.

“It was like: How have we never hung out before?” Erin said. “We need to hang out more often.”

In between spirited challenges on the video game console and a few libations, Erin suddenly leaned in and kissed Charlie, paying little attention to her friends and roommate that surrounded them.

“I thought I’d go for it,” Erin said.

They followed up with another kiss.

“It was kind of surprising considering the setting,” Charlie said.

The next morning, Charlie had to get back to work in Northfield and left without saying goodbye, leaving Erin feeling insecure about what had happened the night before.

It wasn’t long though, before Charlie’s intensions were known. He had connected with Jessica and found out Erin was “interested,” so he logged on to Facebook and asked to be friends. Through their online chats, an official date was set for less than a week later.

Pandas and Purple Feet

With no titles begging to be seen, Erin and Charlie decided the witty humor and child-friendly themes of “Kung Fu Panda” would be the only movie worth watching for their first date. Erin was a bit apprehensive as she suggested the film.

“I love cartoons, and I didn’t know if he would make fun of me,” she said.

The theater was nearly empty save for the family with a small boy sitting in front of them, but Erin and Charlie found themselves hysterically laughing at the same moments throughout the film. Erin discovered Charlie also had a fondness for animated movies, putting her more at ease.

When the movie let out, Erin and Charlie  decided to keep the energy up and set out for a long walk near the campus, despite the thundershowers overhead. Charlie was so caught up in the moment that he paid no attention to the fact that the torrential downpours had actually soaked through his leather shoes, staining his socks and feet bright purple.

Charlie showed off his adventurous side by suggesting the two climb up the nearest water tower to take in the storm. Erin convinced him returning to her apartment to watch “Howl’s Moving Castle” (another animated film) would be a safer option.

He agreed and the two ended up talking throughout the night when the sun came up the next morning and Charlie had to head back to Northfield and go to work.

“I thought (the date) was really romantic,” Erin said.

Two days later, Charlie returned to River Falls and officially asked Erin to be his girlfriend.

Currents

Erin and Charlie found their, relatively speaking, long-distance relationship to be clear to navigate. Charlie was enrolled in school only about 20 minutes away from where Erin’s college job was located, so they were together several times a week.

The couple enjoyed spending time outdoors, often going for walks or hanging out by the pool at Charlie’s parents’ house in Nerstrand, Minn. A lot of their dates centered around doing what they would do for fun as individuals — playing video games and hanging out with friends — only now they could pursue those activities as a couple. 

“It was just easy,” Erin said. “We were like the same person,  we were best friends right away.”

“We never needed to work to find something to do together,” Charlie added.

Though their relationship was solid, Charlie hinted early on that he wasn’t coming into his own with the traditional college environment the way Erin was. She encouraged him to pursue whatever he was passionate about. After some careful thought, Charlie realized what would make him the most happy was going to scuba instructor training, across the country in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., with Erin at his side.

Charlie’s wish couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Erin had only one semester left to finish her degree in broad area art, and was feeling a bit overwhelmed. She wanted a semester off to focus before making the final push in school. Still, it was a bold move for Erin to leave her friends and family behind and move in with someone she’d only been dating for a year.

“I knew (Charlie and I) couldn’t be apart, but it was  a big change,” Erin said. “I’ve only lived an hour away from home and now I was moving across the country.”

Getting His Feet Wet

Charlie had been exposed to and certified in diving at an early age, but it was Sea|Mester — a college program in which students study and earn their credits while sailing — that turned Charlie’s interest in scuba diving into more than just a hobby. With the Caribbean Sea as his classroom, he was around the water more than ever before.

“From there, I knew (teaching scuba diving) was something I really wanted to do,” he said.

Within six months, Charlie was already certified to be a dive instructor and the couple moved back to Minnesota. Maneuvering in an attempt to make Erin Charlie’s first scuba student and have her earn college Physical Education credit in the process, Charlie stumbled upon a job as a dive instructor only a short drive from River Falls.. The new job at St. Criox Scuba put the couple in the perfect position for Erin to finish up her bachelor’s degree.

Taking the Plunge

The subject of marriage was never taboo for Erin and Charlie. In fact, nearly from their relationship’s onset, the couple talked about getting engaged “further down the road.” So, once Erin graduated from school and Charlie had the job he had always wanted, Erin started to play the waiting game.

She provided not-so-subtle clues and often read too deeply into whatever Charlie would say during benign conversations, all the while Charlie really was plotting to make his move.

“(Our relationship) was just perfect,” he said. “Erin was someone I knew I could really spend the rest of my life with.” 

While the decision to propose was easy, how to propose was another matter. In the end, Charlie decided an underwater proposal was the only logical fit. He originally planned to take Erin out for a grand dive for the occasion, but his plans were thwarted when his jeweler ran out of gold to finish Erin’s custom-made ring.

Erin was somewhat expecting the proposal to come during the dive, so when Charlie said the outing was cancelled, she figured it’d be “a long time” before he was going to take the plunge.

Only two days later, ring in hand, Charlie scheduled a short dive at nearby Perch Lake, where his shop performs a lot of instruction. He told Erin he and some of his co-workers needed a hand moving an underwater platform.

Once submerged, she made her way to the platform, but Charlie pointed out a spectacle along the way. There, in the murky water was a pedestal with a small treasure chest on top. He motioned for her to open it up.

Within the chest was a slew of fake plastic treasure, which Charlie painstakingly weighed down, capped with another box. Just then, Erin realized the staff from the dive shop had cameras in tow and the jig was up.

Erin opened the box and instantly started tearing up and smiling, both actions causing water to rush into her mask. With no sound, she signaled “OK” to Charlie and headed for the surface.

Out of the water, the couple embraced and reveled in the moment. 

“I was freaking out,” Erin said. “I kept staring at the ring thinking, this is for real!” 

The Next Adventure

Erin and Charlie said they look forward to the opportunities to experience new things together and travel side-by-side throughout their lives.

“I never get sick of spending too much time with him,” Erin said. “He’s my best friend, and I wanted to marry someone who’s my best friend, not just someone who I was in love with.” 

Erin and Charlie will be married Sept. 17, 2011, in St. Paul, Minn.