Augie Sweethearts: Dawn Ahlman-Brill and Keith Brill, Class of 1978

Submitted by Dawn Ahlman-Brill of Elgin, Ill.

Keith and I met our freshman year when a guy I was dating at that time, introduced me to Keith and his girlfriend. After chatting a minute, we parted and he said to me, "He's the only guy on campus that might be a threat to me." I didn't think much more of it (except that my date felt a little "high" of himself).

Fast forward to our Junior year, to homecoming float building. My sorority partnered with Keith's. I was walking through Lincoln Park with my sorority sister to the house where the float was being built. The night was a clear, moonlit night, and we were feeling "silly". We started singing, "Tonight" from West Side Story (ironic!). The float building and talking went on until early morning, and as things were wrapping up, Keith offered to drive us back to Andreen. We actually declined, so he offered to walk us back to the dorm: wow, he was cute AND really nice!

Homecoming came and went, and the quarter ended. Upon returning back after Thanksgiving break, I was on my way to Andreen from Carver PE after an early morning swim practice, bundled up from head to toe, and wearing my thick black horned rimmed glasses (that I only wore in my dorm room). A voice yelled down to me from 3rd floor Carlsson, "Hello!" When I realized it was Keith, I was pretty embarrassed that this was the first time I had seen him since that moonlit night. Despite my appearance, we talked later and set a date to "tray" in Lincoln Park. It was a clear, moonlit night. He held my hand...40 years ago.