Sparks flew on the morning commute for this Charlotte couple. Here’s their love story.
When a handsome man wearing a polo shirt and slacks stepped into the light rail carriage and sat next to her, Pam Birlet tried to hide her attraction. She scanned the same page of her book over and over, waiting for him to make a move. Finally, the anticipation became too much.
She remembers putting her book down. Turning to him, Pam asked: “Are you going to sit there the entire ride into the city and not say hello?”
George Dortche says he looked up from his phone, surprised.
“Well... I don’t want to disturb you, I thought you were reading a book,” he remembers saying.
“You know, I really haven’t even turned a page — if you were paying attention,” she replied.
Some giggles were exchanged, followed by introductions and small talk. They got off at the South Blvd & I485 stop. George gave Pam his business card.
“Give me a call if you’d like to get together for lunch. We can get to know each other,” he said.
And with that, they parted ways and continued with their Monday mornings.
That was almost five years ago, on an early morning Charlotte Blue Line ride.
Pam is 48 and works for Bank of America. George is 62 and works in tech. When they met, George had been in Charlotte for a few years. Pam had only moved to Charlotte a few months earlier.
Recently, their story was shared on Twitter, with some tagging their meet-cute that day #LoveOnTheLightRail.
Pam and George talked with the Charlotte Observer Tuesday about their love story. Their advice: In a city of nearly 1 million people, you just might find your soul mate — but you’ll have to look up from your phone or book before the moment passes.
First Impressions
After meeting on the light rail, Pam tried calling George, but he didn’t recognize her phone number and declined it. So Pam went the new-fashioned route: email.
“It was a pleasure meeting you this morning, and I thought I’d take you up on that offer for lunch because a girl’s gotta eat,” she wrote.
Their first date was a couple days later — lunch at Vapiano in uptown.
Asked about first impressions, George jumps in before Pam can answer:
“She was infatuated.”
They both laugh.
Apparently, slacks and a polo shirt are key indicators of having a good sense of humor. Take note, fellas. “I thought he was a nice looking fella, and, you know, he didn’t have a full button-down shirt so I thought, ‘OK, he’s not a financial advisor,’” says Pam.
She says she was drawn in by George’s sense of humor and approachable personality. And she’d find out later: “He is a good kisser ...And he keeps me grounded.”
George loves that Pam loves to laugh and adds: “My favorite thing about Pam? One, she loves to cook and bake… My favorite thing she bakes is the coconut cake. I love it.”
Timing is everything
They’re a couple whose love has revolved around good timing. George says he was waiting for the right moment two years ago, on New Year’s Eve, to pop the question — but this time it was Pam who was preoccupied on the phone.
Heading into 2020, George stood behind Pam while she made calls to friends and family, wishing them Happy New Year. He planned to get on one knee as soon as the clock struck midnight. Midnight passed, and Pam was still on the phone.
Finally, George intervened.
“You’re gonna have to put that phone down sometime. It can’t be in your hands all the time,” said George, as he took Pam’s hand and slipped an engagement ring on her finger.
They got married on November 7, 2020, postponing the original date set for June of that year due to the pandemic. It was a low-key event at the Mariott Southpark, with only their immediate family in attendance.
Two weeks ago, with COVID-19 restrictions largely over, they held a wedding reception at the same hotel to celebrate their union with extended family and friends.
Looking for love yourself?
“You have to be open to communicating. There are a lot of missed opportunities — you know, that lost elevator talk, or that five-second window you missed,” says Pam.
George agreed: “You can meet people anywhere,” he said. “Whether it’s at work or on the streets, or at a concert…if you meet somebody you like ... Pursue that.”
