Let’s face it – relationships can be complicated. While we would all like the process of dating to be incredibly smooth and predictable, it is often more nuanced than that. This is especially true during adolescence when children and teenagers are still learning about the world and how they want to treat others. People begin dating, couples break up and the cycle continues. It’s certainly possible to view this as a depressing fact of life, but it is more productive to stay optimistic and embrace the journey.
Adrian Pearce is a man who is all too familiar with the journey that love can bring. When he was dating his girlfriend Vicki Allen in 1970, he was looking forward to seeing her during the upcoming holiday season. However, what he didn’t know was that she would break up with him after giving him a present, something that both surprised and crushed Pearce’s spirit. Wrapped in blue paper, the mysterious gift looked more like a curse than a present, causing Pearce to promise himself that he would never open it.
The years went by and he lost contact with Allen. Despite the fact that both of them had moved on from the relationship, Pearce still held onto the mysterious gift in hopes that one day he might find out what was inside it. His thought process was that he would open it when he was eventually reunited with Allen, but this did not seem very likely as the years went on.
A Viral Sensation
Over 45 years after receiving the Christmas gift from Allen, Pearce started to go viral on social media. The viral posts were centered around his holiday tradition that involved him always placing the blue gift with the other presents underneath his family’s Christmas tree, a ritual that began to irritate his wife. Although it was clear that Pearce no longer had feelings for his high school girlfriend, his wife wanted her husband to learn to leave the past behind.
As his story began to pick up more traction, online communities began to help Pearce search for the real Vicki Allen. The story ended up being picked up by a few news outlets and some people even claimed to be Allen, but Pearce was not convinced by the results.
A Happy Ending
In order to figure out which person was actually Vicki Allen, Pearce decided to give out a test. After speaking with each candidate in person, Pearce ended up finding the real Vicki Allen by asking her specific questions about their high school and hometown.
Pearce ended up convincing Allen to come to his home to open the present, a gesture that ended up becoming a huge media event. After 47 years of waiting, the two opened the present to discover that Allen had gifted Pearce a copy of the book Love Is: New Ways to Spot That Certain Feeling!
Decades later, it’s wonderful to see that two people can reconnect and share special moments like this. Congratulations to Pearce and Allen for finding some closure regarding their past relationship!
