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Mr. Truffles
From deep in the heart of Beverly Hills, you found For Love and chocolate with Mr. And Mrs. Truffles.
Mrs. Truffles
Okay, well, welcome back to the podcast, everyone.
Mr. Truffles
Welcome back, everybody.
Mrs. Truffles
It's been nice this week. We've been back in the shop after being on the road a lot of the summer.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah. And you know, in those summer months, August, September, they're a little, little slower in the shop.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, they are. But, you know, it's been nice being back in the shop, seeing all of our regular customers who come in all the time for their little favorites.
Mr. Truffles
And then some are a little bit extra.
Mrs. Truffles
And then there's the occasional unusual customer who wanders in.
Mr. Truffles
The occasional Amazon man who looks like he could conquer a planet or a nation.
Mrs. Truffles
Right?
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, we did have a very unusual customer come in, and he was this very tall, very energetic. Impressive, Impressive man.
Mr. Truffles
I mean, if I was going to give him, you know, stats, I would say that he was 6, 6, 230.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, he was wearing a shirt that had his own face all over it. And you were like, wait a minute.
Mr. Truffles
I've got that same shirt with your face all over it.
Mrs. Truffles
Like, who are you? Who are you?
Mr. Truffles
You're kind of fantastic.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
And he just, just. He's just muscly and he had this great head of hair braided and he's.
Mrs. Truffles
And what was his name?
Mr. Truffles
Well, his name is William Romeo.
Mrs. Truffles
William Romeo Mayhem.
Mr. Truffles
Mayhem. He's known by millions as Mayhem. He is. Was an American gladiator.
Mrs. Truffles
That's so cool.
Mr. Truffles
It's so cool. And he's got, like a double black belt and he has won all these kickboxing awards.
Mrs. Truffles
And he's a dad.
Mr. Truffles
He's a dad. He's a dad.
Mrs. Truffles
Can you im. That's your dad. Like, you would do everything he said.
Mr. Truffles
He's a superhero, a real life superhero. But here's the other thing. He's a gentle giant.
Mrs. Truffles
He is so sweet. He has such a lovely, like, lovely present.
Mr. Truffles
I could see him kicking ass in the streets of New York. He's just got a lot of love coming through. He's just a big, energetic ball of fun. And he came in the other day and we had a really great time, just kind of reminiscing of the, you know, the last time he was there, which is really the only two times we've known each other. So we're building our history as we speak. But, you know, he's one of so many customers that come through and have stories to tell, whether it's about just romance or their lives in general.
Mrs. Truffles
I mean, do you think that he has a big romance he hasn't shared with us yet?
Mr. Truffles
You know, I think he is actively looking for love.
Mrs. Truffles
Oh, okay.
Mr. Truffles
In fact, he was picking up some champagne truffles to bring to a young lady friend.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, it sounds like he knows how to woo the ladies. And here we are again, Mr. Truffles with the for11 chocolate dating service.
Mr. Truffles
Yep, that's us.
Mrs. Truffles
Just reach out to us. Maybe you can have a date with Mayhem.
Mr. Truffles
You never know.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, not only are we great matchmakers on occasion.
Mr. Truffles
Yes.
Mrs. Truffles
Are we?
Mr. Truffles
I think so.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, we also give amazing love advice.
Mr. Truffles
Oh, yeah, baby.
Mrs. Truffles
Which brings us to.
Mr. Truffles
Is it that time?
Mrs. Truffles
I think you know what time it is. Well, Mr. Truffles, it looks like we have a pretty full mailbag today.
Mr. Truffles
Oh, we really do.
Mrs. Truffles
Thanks for writing in with all your great questions, everyone.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah, keep them coming.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah, we'll keep those chocolate gifts coming.
Mr. Truffles
That's right.
Mrs. Truffles
So what do we have in the mail bag today?
Mr. Truffles
Well, Mrs. Truffles. This comes from Brian. And Brian writes, Dear Mr. And Mrs. Truffles, I'm a senior in college and have been dating someone from my school for the past year and a half. She's working on a theater degree, and aside from being a talented actress, she's also very beautiful. She's been offered a lead role in a play, which is great, except that it involves some very steamy kissing scenes. And the play will be going for a good six weeks. It's a lot of rehearsals and a lot of performances. She asked me if I'm okay with it, but I'm not sure. Is it okay to tell her that I'm not actually okay with this, Brian?
Mrs. Truffles
Well, that's an interesting situation, Brian.
Mr. Truffles
It is. It's tough. I mean, obviously his girlfriend is pursuing her dream. She's passionate about it, she's studying it. It's her craft. And unfortunately, this kind of goes with the territory, doesn't it?
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah, I mean, that's gotta be rough, because, you know, if it was a movie, you know, she cuts the scene, maybe they do it a few times, it's done. Yeah, but in a play, all that rehearsal and then performance after performance of all this steamy kissing. All right, I think what I'm hearing from Brian is that he's afraid that he might lose her if he says yes, but he's also worried that he might lose her if he says no.
Mr. Truffles
I know. It's a real conundrum. In fact, early in our relationship, we had a little kind of an incident. Not an incident, but I was doing a play that had a kissing scene. And you came to the play. I think there were 12 performances. I think you came to nine of them. And I know how uncomfortable you were with me.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, what was so funny is that during the first performance when I was there, you actually had me seated in a space where I would not be able to see your face while you were kissing.
Mr. Truffles
That was blocking you with my body, wasn't that.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah, that was really fun. That was really strategic.
Mr. Truffles
And then every night you would change where you were, and I couldn't really change the blocking.
Mrs. Truffles
But what was really funny is that you were having bad dreams that I was kissing someone else. So you obviously felt pretty guilty.
Mr. Truffles
I did feel really guilty.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, it sounds like she might be feeling a little uncomfortable with it herself.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
And that's, you know, that's something that she, as an actress, you know, gets to decide, you know, how much of herself she wants to give up to her craft.
Mr. Truffles
And I think that it's really. Brian, it's a great question, and thank you for writing in, but I think if you just sit with her.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah, I think it's going to be a thing. You guys have to talk about both of your comfort levels.
Mr. Truffles
Don't bury your feelings at all. You really need to let it out because.
Mrs. Truffles
And also her feelings about it. Maybe she's not entirely comfortable with it either, so. But just because she wants to be an actress doesn't mean she needs to give up, you know, her. Her deeper values.
Mr. Truffles
That's right.
Mrs. Truffles
So.
Mr. Truffles
Well, best of all, good luck with you guys. Yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
What else is in the mail bag, Mr. Truffles?
Mr. Truffles
Well, Mrs. Truffles, this comes from Jillian. And Jillian writes, Dear Mr. And Mrs. Truffles, my boyfriend and I have been together for two years and are looking at engagement rings and have arranged for our parents to finally meet. That's exciting.
Mrs. Truffles
That is so cool. Congratulations, you guys.
Mr. Truffles
Congratulations. My boyfriend's parents have invited my parents to come over for dinner next weekend, which is lovely, but I'm a little bit nervous about it because his folks and mine are supporting different candidates for the upcoming election. Our dads both seem a little too excitable about the candidates, and I hate for everyone to start off on the wrong foot. How should we handle this? Signed Worried in Encino.
Mrs. Truffles
Well, you know what? That's a legitimate worry. It really is. You hate to start out on the wrong foot. And people get very passionate about their politics. They do during this time of the season, the political season. But my advice to you, Honestly, Jillian, maybe Postpone meeting until after the November election.
Mr. Truffles
That's okay. So that's one way to go.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
And I'm going to go a little further if the meeting is going to happen before the election. I think that because it's such a joyous occasion. Right. We don't want anything to muddle the feels that are happening. Maybe we just say to both sets of parents, guys, we're so excited for this union, but please, can we just leave politics off the table? You guys are obviously coming from different camps. Let's sweep all that away and let's just kind of be together. It's. This is a celebration of love. Let's really explore, you know, who these families are and coming together.
Mick Gajeta
Maybe.
Mrs. Truffles
I mean, depending on the personalities of the people involved, that may or may not be an approach you can take with them.
Mr. Truffles
Maybe not. I mean, I guess something could be said that could trigger.
Mrs. Truffles
Right. And also, you don't know what could. I mean, there's always crazy things happening all the time. So if there was a recent inciting event or something that had people kind of emotional, it might be hard for them to just let it go.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
I feel like it's been two years. In another couple months, you know, just let the dust settle on the 2024 election and start a new start fresh from there. And then people can just focus on love and. And being future grandparents.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah. And listen, if that doesn't work, just elope.
Mrs. Truffles
There you go.
Mr. Truffles
Well, thanks for writing in, Jillian, and best of luck. Okay, Mrs. Truffles. Well, I think we have one more mailbag, don't we?
Mrs. Truffles
Got another mailbag for you today. Oh, well, this is kind of sad.
Mr. Truffles
What you got?
Mrs. Truffles
Dear Mr. And Mrs. Truffles, I have been enjoying your podcast and love your advice segment. So I am writing to you today on behalf of my youngest daughter, BB about 18 months ago, my poor baby had her heart crushed by a boy she was with for two years. She cried for weeks and weeks and still doesn't seem to be able to find her sweet, cheerful self again. She is young and beautiful, but seems like her sadness is keeping her from getting back up on that horse and finding love again. I'm afraid for her to become permanently soured by this experience. Have you any advice to give with gratitude, Goldie.
Mr. Truffles
Oh, Goldie, that's so hard because, you know, I feel like we're only ever as happy as our saddest child. Right.
Mrs. Truffles
That's what. Yeah, that's. That's a great way to put it. And, you know, when you get in the habit of being sad all the time. It just kind of brings more sadness to you. It's like the laws of attraction, right?
Mr. Truffles
It's like when you throw a pebble into a lake. You know those concentric circles that kind of, you know, you get what you put out the ripples, right?
Mrs. Truffles
But when you're smiling, I feel like.
Mr. Truffles
The whole world kind of smiles with you, doesn't it?
Mrs. Truffles
Oh, yes, it does, Mr. Truffles.
Mr. Truffles
This is for you, BB. When you're smiling, when you're smiling the whole world smiles with you. When you're laughing. When you're laughing, the sun comes shining through. But when you're crying, you bring on the rain? So stop that crying, Be happy again Keep on smiling. Cause when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you when you're smiling? Oh, when you're smiling? The whole world smiles with you when you're laughing. Oh, babe. When you're laughing, the sun water comes shining through. But when you're crying, you bring on the rain? So stop that sighing. Come on, be happy again. Keep on smiling. Cause when you're smiling, baby, the whole world smiles with you.
Mrs. Truffles
Mmm. Oh, baby, that makes me smile.
Mr. Truffles
Wouldn't it be great if we just could always have a big band following us wherever we went?
Mrs. Truffles
Well, I sure hope that helps bring a smile to Bebe's face.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah, I hope so, too.
Mrs. Truffles
And you know what else is going to make you smile? What's this next couple. They're going to make everyone smile. While we were out on the road on our last trip, we did another interview with our Airstream mobile podcast studio. We met the loveliest couple. I think their story might just be the cutest one yet.
Mr. Truffles
This is Mick and Lynn Gajeta. Lynn is a Napa Valley hometown girl of 60 years. She started her career in the fashion necktie business as children entered into their lives. She became a Mary Kay director and earned, get this, five pink Cadillacs through her career, which she drove around town with pride. She currently is working in the wine industry and represents a luxury wine estate. She's looking forward to the last part of her career navigating for her husband as he drives their motorcoach across the country. Mick is a hometown boy of 60 years in the Napa Valley. He's been in the building industry his whole career and loves building luxury residences for his customers and his friends. In his spare time, he travels and hangs out with his childhood buddies who he enjoys a lot of boyhood banter with. He also enjoys ribbing random bloggers These two, these two are so much fun, and we're going to be talking to them when we get back with more for love and chocolate. For over 40 years, Toysher has been a staple in the Beverly Hills community. Like so many other families in the community, our family has had a longstanding love affair with toyser chocolates. Over the years, we formed traditions and memories around these extraordinary Swiss chocolates and the enchanting wonderland of fantasy truffle boxes inside our store. Today, our family is proud to be carrying on the te tradition in Beverly Hills.
Mrs. Truffles
Welcome back.
Mr. Truffles
Welcome back, everyone. So this next couple misses truffles. It's so funny. I, I, you know what I love is I love just being on the road and meeting complete strangers and having them within minutes become our best friends.
Mrs. Truffles
I know, but the minute you saw this giant, glamorous bus, oh, my gosh. I so expected, I think Mick Jagger is, baby.
Mr. Truffles
I was just going to say the exact same thing. It felt like the Rolling Stones bus. It really did. And so what was so funny was I was, I was filling blue baby up. One of the tires was a little, little low, and I had one of these compressors that has a ticking sound. And Lynn, who everyone's about to meet, she said hello. And I'm pretty sure she thought a bomb was about to go off. She was very concerned. Is your car okay? And we said, yes. By the way, do you want to be on our podcast?
Mrs. Truffles
So without further ado, it was, it was pretty difficult, actually, but we got there.
Mr. Truffles
We did.
Mrs. Truffles
We did get there. Anyway, it took some convincing.
Mr. Truffles
Mick and Lynn Gajeta from Napa Valley, California, welcome, guys, to the show.
Mick Gajeta
Thank you.
Lynn Gajeta
Thank you very much.
Mr. Truffles
I know that probably after that introduction, Right. Meeting, the last thing you wanted to do was was our podcast, but yet here you are. I think it was the pumpkin bread that we brought you this morning.
Mick Gajeta
I was relieved to find out you weren't a terrorist, admittedly, but the pumpkin.
Lynn Gajeta
Bread definitely was the selling point.
Mr. Truffles
Without a doubt, it was the peace offering.
Lynn Gajeta
Yes, it was.
Mrs. Truffles
Guys, how long have you been married for?
Mick Gajeta
We've been married for 40 years and a month.
Mrs. Truffles
Wow, that's amazing. Congratulations. Happy anniversary.
Mick Gajeta
Thank you.
Lynn Gajeta
Thank you.
Mrs. Truffles
That's significant. Wow. So tell us, how did you two very first meet?
Mick Gajeta
Well, it was 46 years ago in middle school, of all places. You know, when you go to middle school in a little town of Napa, you pretty much have gone to school with the same kids for, I mean, you've been going to school for a couple years with the same kids that you basically grew up with. And then all of a sudden, five of these strange young men came to school one day. And Mick happened to be 6 foot 5 and very blonde and very noticeable, let's just put it that way. He stood out.
Lynn Gajeta
I was eight in eighth grade. I spent first through eighth grade at a parochial school, Saint Apollinaris in Napa. And a couple of my best friends from that school are actually here with us camping also. So we're still together, buddies for life. And the three of us left Santa Paul and Aris and graduated and went to ninth grade at the public junior high at the time. And we came walking in. I was 6 5, about 170 pounds, walking on this campus. And everybody was like, look at these guys. Where did they come from? And we were just, like, shot out of a gun because we were in what was like a police camp and let to go into public school, which was just crazy for us. We were like, look at the freedom in front of us.
Mr. Truffles
Well, I had the misfortune of meeting your friends last night. And what I noticed, because you all went to parochial school. You. All right. And you were educated by nuns.
Lynn Gajeta
Correct.
Mr. Truffles
And you all have the same bruise marks on your knuckles from when they would take the rulers and slam you for insubordination.
Lynn Gajeta
Guys, that is no lie. We really got it the hard way. Yes, we did. It was. It was a blessing and a curse.
Mr. Truffles
I feel like maybe all children should.
Mrs. Truffles
Go through that for at least a summer camp.
Lynn Gajeta
Right? I believe. I believe you're correct. I think it's. It's a great experience for everybody.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
So. So you two first met in ninth grade. Did you have classes together or you just saw each other on campus?
Mick Gajeta
Well, first I saw him on campus and total a couple of girlfriends that I thought he was pretty cute. And you were 15? 15, yes.
Mr. Truffles
Same grade. Yeah. Okay.
Mick Gajeta
And then we ended up having a couple classes together. One was PE where we ended up being square dance partners. And I think my knees were shaking together because, like, oh, my gosh, that's so sweet. First boyfriend. First. First crush. First guy in my life other than my brother and dad. And so square dancing. And then the second class was driver's Ed, where you sat in a simulator. Yeah. And he was sitting right behind me. It was like he was always just kind of close by.
Lynn Gajeta
I do remember driver's ed sitting next to her in. She was across the aisle from me. And the one impactful thing that she said was we had to all introduce ourselves in class and Lynn had to introduce herself and then tell everybody what her family career was, and her dad happened to be a professional golfer. So that, like, got me intrigued. Like, your dad is a professional golf. So that was, like, first words at the time. But then other than that, I didn't have any idea who she was and just kind of went about my business.
Mr. Truffles
You hadn't spoken to her?
Lynn Gajeta
No.
Mr. Truffles
Wait a second. But you were square dance partners?
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, but it didn't mean. There was just lots of. Lots of, lots of people, you know, shuffling through square dance and everything else. So you really didn't. You're. You're dancing, but, you know, you were.
Mr. Truffles
Crushing on her as much as she was on you.
Lynn Gajeta
I was not. She was a stalker. She stalked me. I was playing basketball for the school at the time, so you can imagine I'm 6 5, playing with all these young men, and I stood out, and I kept looking over at the bleachers, and there's, you know, two girls sitting there every practice watching. And I'm thinking, well, it's kind of strange, but, you know, there she. There she is every practice, and somebody throughout the season said, you know, that Lynn Wagner over there is here because of you. And I'm like, what are you talking about? She's not here. Time. She was just really. Just following me everywhere.
Mr. Truffles
Wow.
Mick Gajeta
Enamored.
Mr. Truffles
And so when you found out, when you realized she's there for you, what was your takeaway? What was your next move?
Lynn Gajeta
I think. I think at the time, I was just, you know, it's just another fan. Oh, my God. He's really tough.
Mr. Truffles
Really something.
Lynn Gajeta
Then she had to launch. She had to launch her next plan. So her next plan was my girlfriend.
Mick Gajeta
At the time, who was one of the girls who always kind of take turns sitting with me in the stands, decided she was going to throw at St. Patty's Day party on March 17, 1978.
Lynn Gajeta
So long ago. So long ago I showed up. Let's check and see what this young lady's all about here.
Mr. Truffles
So, wait, so did you know the party was being thrown in part to get you two together?
Lynn Gajeta
It was a trap. Yes.
Mr. Truffles
You knew that?
Lynn Gajeta
Yes.
Mr. Truffles
Honestly, Lynn, how do you live with it?
Mick Gajeta
I sleep well at night.
Mr. Truffles
So it was a trap.
Lynn Gajeta
It was a trap.
Mr. Truffles
Oh, my God.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
And so who made the first move to just to speak to one another? Do you remember? Oh, you did. You made a move.
Lynn Gajeta
I had to go in and see what this was all about, you know.
Mrs. Truffles
So what happened when you went in?
Lynn Gajeta
I think we. If I remember correctly, I was wearing just like a really cool pair of green cord bell bottoms. Yeah, real cool.
Mr. Truffles
They sound cool.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah.
Mick Gajeta
You were wearing white denim pants, and you were wearing a fishnet. Open fishnet kind of. Because back in the late 70s, that was definitely a thing and kind of a muscle shirt.
Mr. Truffles
Any jewelry? Any puka shells or any.
Mick Gajeta
No. He had on a cross.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, there you go. How about that?
Mr. Truffles
The fishnet with the cross. Classic.
Lynn Gajeta
Throwing it all down.
Mr. Truffles
Classic St. Patty's Day, where I think.
Mick Gajeta
They were his brother's clothes.
Mrs. Truffles
So he walked in and you were eagerly awaiting his entrance.
Mick Gajeta
He was.
Mrs. Truffles
He did what transpired?
Lynn Gajeta
I think there was a little bit of. A little bit of a little dancing, a lot of music. All the guys were, you know, they're, like, looking. I mean, I had leering partners, you know, it wasn't the guys that are traveling with us here at the campsite. It was a couple other guys, and they were just like a ghetto. You got to make your move here. So I went over and kind of, you know, started talking and seeing what was going on and, you know, and then we danced a little bit, and then from there, it, you know, ended with a kiss or two and. Yeah, that ended the end of the night with a. With a couple kisses, I think. I'm not. Think. I know. It was.
Mick Gajeta
We ended up in a chair together. And was that the first time that.
Mrs. Truffles
Either of you had ever kissed anyone?
Mick Gajeta
Me, yes.
Lynn Gajeta
Me, no. Oh, Catholic schoolboy. You know, you got. You're always. You got your antlers up, and you're always looking for an opportunity. They. Well, you know, they separated us, so. Yeah. The boys side of the schoolyard and the girls side. You did not all boys. Oh, no, it was. No. You could see from a distance.
Mr. Truffles
Girls, but there's no fraternizing.
Lynn Gajeta
No fraternizing at all. That's right. And you always had to be on the lookout for one stray that's getting away, you know, and there was no.
Mr. Truffles
There was no dancing. There's no. There were no organized dances.
Lynn Gajeta
No.
Mr. Truffles
So we.
Mrs. Truffles
Probably not at that age, I guess not your normal.
Lynn Gajeta
They do now. But back then, there was no dances. We. We played a lot of CYO basketball at the time. Yeah. And, you know, that's when we had cheerleaders. So the cheerleaders would. So the girls were at the games then.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Lynn Gajeta
So then it was a big deal. It was like, wow. We got, like, an audience. Yeah, it was a big deal. It was a lot of fun.
Mr. Truffles
Lynn, you. You obviously remember the first kiss.
Mick Gajeta
I do.
Mr. Truffles
And was it Was it a private moment or was just this kind of crazy party and it's a makeout session at a junior high party.
Mick Gajeta
It was that.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Mick Gajeta
I'm realizing my mother's probably gonna hear this, but he actually had. He sat down in the chair and pulled me down on his lap and then kissed the back of my neck. And it was all over from there.
Lynn Gajeta
Put the move on. The Italian move. Sorry, mom. Oh, that's good.
Mick Gajeta
And admittedly, my girlfriend, whose mom was hosting the party, walked by the chair a couple times and goes says to Penny, is that Lynn? Because I was definitely known as the goody two shoes chased Lynn.
Mr. Truffles
What is she doing?
Mick Gajeta
Goody shoes and the bad boy.
Mr. Truffles
That was kind of the first encounter.
Lynn Gajeta
It was.
Mr. Truffles
And then were. You just got. You were on after that? It was just.
Lynn Gajeta
It was definitely on after that. For sure. Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
And was there? I mean, when you're 15, you don't really go out on dates so much as you hang out. I mean.
Lynn Gajeta
No, it was. For us, it was movies. You. I mean, if you're gonna have a date, you go to the movies. So that was a date out. And then we have football, high school football.
Mr. Truffles
This is all in Napa, California.
Lynn Gajeta
All. All Napa. Then you would. You go to the football games together and, you know, hang out together and, you know, watch football. And then after that, you'd end up down on Jefferson street at the time. And there's pizza parlor, ice cream shop and everything. And so everybody would exit the stadium and walk across Jefferson and then walk down to the pizza parlor and the ice cream shop. So the whole high school's out there.
Mr. Truffles
You know what I love about this? I love. So you are now our, I don't know, our 20th couple. Right. And everybody's story is very unique. Certainly we've not interviewed a couple that has met so young. We've had college age.
Lynn Gajeta
Right.
Mr. Truffles
We've had postgrad. We've had arranged marriages. But to meet when you're 15, right. You don't even have your driver's license.
Lynn Gajeta
Correct.
Mr. Truffles
And what that is just kind of, you know, your frontal lobe is still forming. You know, you've got your friends, you're navigating school, and now you've got these feelings that you've never had before.
Lynn Gajeta
Definitely.
Mr. Truffles
It's pretty inspiring and awesome that 40 plus years later, you're still not only here, but just loving each other up so much, you know?
Mick Gajeta
Absolutely. We got put to the test, though, during those years, because they are the formative years. And I said earlier I was Goody two shoes. And he was kind of the bad, bad boy. Bad boy sauntered on to campus. So as he talked about these dates, we would go on. Initially, the date would start off with taking me out to the movies and finish up with ice cream. And then I had a curfew and I would be taken home because by then he was driving. Mick's a little bit older. He was.
Lynn Gajeta
He's months advanced.
Mick Gajeta
Months. But back then you got your driver's license at 16. You didn't have to wait a year to third grade. Exactly. Kindergarten.
Lynn Gajeta
Not a very bright guy, but a very daring guy.
Mick Gajeta
But. So he would take me home by curfew, which might have been 11 or 12 or whatever it was. And then he would be known to go out for part two of the evening and I'd go back to school on Monday and hear about the escapades at this party and be like, that wasn't Mick. He took me home at 11 or 12. And so he had kind of a. An alter life. Yes.
Lynn Gajeta
So I had a. My brother and I, we lived, you know, in a room together. And we lived upstairs at my parents house, obviously. And after Lynn was dropped off, I would come home and my brother would come home. And then we'd go upstairs and act like we were getting ready for bed. And then we would climb out the window upstairs, down the roof and down the ladder. And then we would push each other's cars down the street so you wouldn't have to. So we wouldn't start. They were loud like he was driving a Chevelle. I had a 56 Chevy. Yeah. And then we would tear out of there and head out for. Until about three in the morning and then back, you know, do the opposite. Coming home, up the stairs, up the ladder. Yep. Just coast into the home.
Mrs. Truffles
Did you ever get caught?
Lynn Gajeta
No.
Mrs. Truffles
What?
Lynn Gajeta
My parents, I think they were just like. They didn't really want to admit that we were sneaking. My dad, you know, what's a ladder doing upside the roof all the time? Okay, dad, what do you think that ladder's doing there? Exactly. We're up there checking the roof all the time, dad, making sure we don't leaks.
Mr. Truffles
So Lynn, you knew that he was doing this?
Mick Gajeta
Yes.
Mr. Truffles
And, and did he, did you ever call him out or did he ever cop to it?
Mick Gajeta
Oh, he always, he almost always did. But there was, there was never. I would never hear stories about there was another girl involved or there was never any of that. It was just. He was so in the oats of a typical 16 year old boy had.
Mr. Truffles
To do whatever 16 year old boys did when they weren't with their girlfriend.
Mick Gajeta
Exactly.
Lynn Gajeta
I mean, we. We had Jefferson street with all the guys and, you know, cruising Jefferson street, you'd sit in McDonald's parking lot, watch all your friends drive by, yell and scream. I mean, just.
Mr. Truffles
It just American Graffiti.
Lynn Gajeta
It really. It seriously was very similar to American Graffiti. I mean, we're all high school kids.
Mr. Truffles
With cars 16 years old and athletes. And you got the girl.
Lynn Gajeta
No. No cell phones. No cell phones, yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
No tracking.
Mr. Truffles
This is late 70s, early 80s.
Lynn Gajeta
It was late 70s, yeah. 79. Exactly.
Mrs. Truffles
So having met that young, at what point did you think to yourself, this is the guy I'm gonna marry? Did you know that, like when you were in high school, did you always know that you were just. That he was the one?
Mick Gajeta
I think I always knew. And in fact, we kind of joked around that. You know, we know that there's no such thing as the perfect person for us, but we kind of felt like we were. And I mean, we fought. Don't get me wrong, it was usually the things about the. He was doing something. I didn't know what he was doing. It would come back to me afterwards. But we always managed to find ways to work it out. And we. I think in a lot of ways, we grew up together. We helped each other grow up through those. I was painfully shy and very much an introvert, and I lived a life that was very safe. My parents were very safe, where Mick had a lot more freedom and flexibility, a lot more ability to kind of push the envelope. And so I think we kind of helped each other survive through the high school years.
Mr. Truffles
He maybe brought you out of your shell and you gave structure.
Mick Gajeta
Exactly.
Lynn Gajeta
Without a doubt, for me, it was structure for me, because I would have been at this point if I didn't have. I would have been in jail. I've been under a bridge right now. It would have been. It would not have been a good.
Mr. Truffles
You fly too close to the sun, you get burned.
Lynn Gajeta
That's exactly where I was heading.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Lynn Gajeta
So she kept me well grounded.
Mrs. Truffles
So when did you two first tell each other I love you? Was that in high school still? Was it later?
Mick Gajeta
Well, I always say it was high school for sure.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah. Without a doubt.
Mick Gajeta
Yes.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, we knew.
Mrs. Truffles
Either of you remember that moment when it was finally set?
Mick Gajeta
I don't.
Lynn Gajeta
I don't either.
Mick Gajeta
I think it was just kind of a given. I think it was just kind of one of those.
Lynn Gajeta
If we didn't know, we were pretty silly.
Mick Gajeta
Yeah.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, because we were hanging out almost every moment of every day together.
Mr. Truffles
Right.
Lynn Gajeta
Constantly. I mean, other than late evenings when I was down on Jefferson with the boys. Yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah. So, okay, so how old were you when you decided that you were going to ask her to marry you?
Lynn Gajeta
Were you 21? No, we got married at 21.
Mick Gajeta
We were seniors in high school.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, you're right. So I gave. No, I gave her a promise ring.
Mrs. Truffles
Okay.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, we were downtown Christmas time, and I'm like, I'm gonna make sure that nobody thinks that this young woman is available because she's.
Mrs. Truffles
What grade were you in?
Lynn Gajeta
We were senior. Senior in high school. Yeah. Must. That ring must have cost, you know, $90.
Mrs. Truffles
It's a lot of money back there.
Mick Gajeta
Yes, it was, absolutely. But he was always working too. He was always. You were just always working on the side, on top of all the sports that you did and. But you always had an income coming in. I don't think it was a get down on your knee kind of proposal. It was more of that. We just kind of talked about it and yeah, we're going to get married because was. I was getting ready to go off to college and he wanted to make sure that I was coming back to him. And so we were senior. When we graduated, we knew we were.
Lynn Gajeta
She was going off to war.
Mr. Truffles
Was that. Was that a nervous time for you guys, knowing that after all these years you were going to be separated by.
Mick Gajeta
He's nodding yes, I'm saying no.
Mr. Truffles
You were fine with it.
Mick Gajeta
Yeah.
Mrs. Truffles
Where did you go to school? How far away?
Mick Gajeta
I. Well, I went. I did a year in San Francisco at the Fashion Institute, and then I did my graduate year in Los Angeles and I think moving to LA as a single female, as a female with a girlfriend, single female. To live for the first time on my own was way scarier than the idea of committing to me for the rest of my life.
Mr. Truffles
So you had committed by the time you came to la, but it was the promise ring. It wasn't an engagement ring. Correct?
Lynn Gajeta
Right, correct.
Mr. Truffles
And so when you went down to la, was there a finite time that you thought you'd be there? I'm going to come back in the summers, I'm going to come back on weekends.
Mick Gajeta
That's the best part. He did give me an engagement ring before then the trip to LA. So at that point I was 20, almost 21, and we had already set the wedding day. The wedding day was going to be a month after I graduated and came back up.
Mr. Truffles
And how long was school was it.
Mick Gajeta
It Was just one year down there, graduate year. And so during that time I was making my wedding gown, sewing all the bridesmaids dresses, planning the wedding from la as that was part of my thesis to graduate, that was my project. And he was up in Napa and remodeling my grandparents little one bedroom house.
Lynn Gajeta
I bought the grandparents house. So then we started, you know, just started remodeling. Then for her wedding present, we. I bought some furniture to furnish it before. And all my buddies who are here with us camping, they loaded the house with furniture while we were on our honeymoon. So when she came home, it was like ta dum.
Mr. Truffles
That is so sweet.
Mick Gajeta
And then my wedding gift to him showed up and it was a little Labrador puppy. So we had our first child already instantly married and with child.
Mr. Truffles
Was it a big wedding? How big was it?
Mick Gajeta
It was over 300 people.
Mr. Truffles
Oh my.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, but again it was Lynn's folks and my folks. Similar type income, very hardworking. It was, you know, at the VFW hall, all the family, all the friends, everybody who has as many people as you could possibly stuff in there was invited. So casual, but I mean casual but.
Mr. Truffles
A celebration without all of your family information.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah, it's all about that. And again, the food, all the money that they spend these days on weddings was really not part of the deal. It was about being in there as a group.
Mr. Truffles
Right, right, right.
Lynn Gajeta
You know, it was just, it was a. It was a whole different time then.
Mick Gajeta
And we got married in the Catholic church where you went to parochial school. My family was part of the parish since I was born too. So we growing up, we realized after talking about getting married, Saint Apollinaris, we knew that we had been in that church several times growing up for the various different sacraments and probably even somewhere sitting near each other, but didn't know each other until 9th grade. But CCD kids always did everything that the parochial school kids did and they did it together and we just didn't, you know, our paths were always just running parallel but never crossing until the.
Lynn Gajeta
Other part of that is. So we, after we're married, we're going through photos. My first Holy communion picture is standing in front of Saint Apollinare statue all by myself in my first communion gear. And then Linds goes through hers and then here's her picture. The exact same picture at the same place. We took our first Holy Communion on the same day, same location. Took a picture in the same location on the same day. And so we have that in our hallway. How old were you there, you're nine years old. Is that right?
Mick Gajeta
Yeah, nine or ten.
Lynn Gajeta
Probably nine. Yeah. So we were literally standing over the foot. Same footsteps on the same day.
Mrs. Truffles
And you have those hanging side by side.
Lynn Gajeta
Yes. In our home. Yeah. So. Yeah, Yeah, I know. Yeah. So when we were playing basketball, Lynn's brother was a grade below us, so our path crossed through the gymnasium. But we really didn't know each other at the time because we would always, you know, be playing together. And I didn't know. But, you know, small world and small town. Small town. So.
Mr. Truffles
So where was the honeymoon?
Mick Gajeta
Maui.
Mr. Truffles
You went to Maui?
Mick Gajeta
That was a splurge. In fact, we ran out of money on the last two days and had to figure out how to eat.
Lynn Gajeta
And we went to the grocery store and said, wow, these groceries are very expensive here. Yeah. Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
So it was a week in Maui.
Lynn Gajeta
Or how long ago it was.
Mick Gajeta
We were 21. We were just barely legal.
Mrs. Truffles
Wow.
Mr. Truffles
And first time you'd kind of taken a trip together?
Lynn Gajeta
No, without a doubt.
Mr. Truffles
Wow.
Lynn Gajeta
That was my first time on an airplane.
Mr. Truffles
Whoa. It was all just kind of happening.
Lynn Gajeta
Oh, yeah.
Mr. Truffles
That's fantastic.
Mrs. Truffles
Bounce into, like, real adulthood.
Lynn Gajeta
Oh, we jumped right in.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah.
Lynn Gajeta
Yes.
Mrs. Truffles
That's amazing.
Mick Gajeta
And haven't looked back, and you haven't looked back.
Mrs. Truffles
Wow. So can you tell us then, what is it after all these years that just keeps your marriage so vibrant and keeps you guys so in love? What. What is your little secret ingredient?
Mick Gajeta
Okay, I can say honestly, for me, it is exactly what it was when we bought the first motorhome, the one before, the one we have now, and everything was breaking all the time. We never went out without something breaking down on it. And Mick looked at me, the first one being the brakes going out and then the tires all popping. And he looked at me and he said, honey, it's an adventure. Just think of it as an adventure. And then I realized that's basically what our life has been. An adventure together. We've done everything together, and we didn't always agree, but part of the adventure was getting through the disagreements and figuring out how to compromise.
Lynn Gajeta
And I think that it's. She's correct on the adventure, because it's definitely an adventure every day. And part of the adventure is knowing that you're not gonna stay in love sitting in front of a television in a big, comfortable lounge chair somewhere. That. That right there is a recipe for disaster in my book. If you can keep moving. We're out right now on a week's jaunt just in the coach, and we're gonna be. And it's. It's the best time of our life because this is where we aspire to be. So when we get to spend a week out on the road, it's. You just fall back in love with what you're doing and who you're with. And. And again, you meet the best people on the road, without a doubt. And I think that's part of it. We. We do not spend time in front of the idiot box. And it really makes a difference.
Mr. Truffles
Huge difference.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah. And you. Now, if I'm not mistaken, your daughter's about to get married next year.
Lynn Gajeta
Correct.
Mr. Truffles
Is that right? And do you have one of your sons whose wife is pregnant?
Mick Gajeta
Yep.
Mr. Truffles
So you're gonna be grandparents. When's that?
Mick Gajeta
We're gonna be grandparents on February 8th or 9th.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah.
Mick Gajeta
Thank you.
Lynn Gajeta
Which is my dad's birthday.
Mr. Truffles
Wow.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah. Which is great. My dad has passed away since, but. Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
And your daughter's getting married next June.
Mick Gajeta
June 28th.
Mr. Truffles
June 28th. 8th. We'll be there. I can't wait for.
Lynn Gajeta
All right. I'm glad you guys. Yeah. Like we said, we always have big weddings, so.
Mr. Truffles
And I know that you talked a little bit about your daughter and. And her fiance, who you adore like a son.
Lynn Gajeta
We do.
Mr. Truffles
So what words of wisdom would you impart on them as they enter this next chapter of a lifetime together?
Lynn Gajeta
I would say it sounds corny, and it's. It's like, cliche. I mean, communication is everything, but it's a team, and you communicate together. And. And it's always going to be a team. It's not an individual sport, so. But we. I think Lynn and I are a team at all times. So every minute of every day, we know what our next move is going to be in the forward motion. And we don't have a static motion. We don't talk about what is really today, but our forward motion.
Mr. Truffles
What was yesterday?
Lynn Gajeta
Ex. No, never, ever, ever about what was yesterday. That. That. That conversation doesn't come up.
Mr. Truffles
Interesting.
Lynn Gajeta
It's always forward motion. And so if you can keep forward motion together, gravity will take you to love. So there you go.
Mr. Truffles
I like it.
Mrs. Truffles
Lynn, wonderful advice.
Mr. Truffles
What do you think?
Mick Gajeta
I agree. I also agree, going back to communication, it's. I think it's a blend of picking your battles. I mean, there are going to be things that irritate you along the way, but at the same time, it's. Pick your battle. It's. Is that really. Whatever that irritating thing is, is that really enough to ruin the day or the moment over or. But at the same time, blend it with what are the most important things, you know, if it's a. If this is a deal breaker, if this is something that you really need to make sure that your significant other, your husband, your wife, needs to hear, you need to not hold back and make sure you're real. And.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah, excellent advice.
Mick Gajeta
It's knowing how to blend the two together.
Mrs. Truffles
Exactly. Right.
Mr. Truffles
When I. When I started dating Mrs. Truffles here, she had just a few rules, and she basically said, if you can live by these rules, we're gonna do great. I was like, oh, please, give me the playbook. And she said, number one, no whining. I was like, okay. Number two, mommy's always right. And number three, when in doubt, refer to rule number two. Of course, this was for her children.
Lynn Gajeta
Yeah.
Mr. Truffles
Which she then kind of offered to me as a path to success. And the fact that.
Mrs. Truffles
No veal. Don't eat veal.
Mr. Truffles
Yeah, I can't eat veal.
Mrs. Truffles
Nothing else, but that's too mean.
Lynn Gajeta
Really?
Mr. Truffles
Yeah. There was one other thing, but I won't mention it. That's okay.
Lynn Gajeta
That's okay. Yeah.
Mick Gajeta
We all have to have our secrets.
Mr. Truffles
You guys, what an absolute pleasure bumping into you and your 48 foot super bus. It's been such a pleasure hanging out with you and I'm so glad you decided.
Mrs. Truffles
Yes. Thank you so much for sharing the show. Yeah, thank you so much for sharing.
Mick Gajeta
Thank you for beautiful.
Mrs. Truffles
Yeah, beautiful story. It's so sweet. I loved hearing it.
Lynn Gajeta
But again, we're all about, you know, success. So if we're here to help you guys succeed, we hope you succeed by just having us. So that's. We want to share that.
Mrs. Truffles
Thank you. Appreciate that.
Mick Gajeta
And if I could give one little shout out. We talked about Mario and we talked about Gianna, but we have our son in the military who gives us all a chance to live the life that we love.
Mrs. Truffles
His heart.
Mick Gajeta
So, Joe, thank you very much for all these sacrifices.
Mrs. Truffles
Huge sacrifices. I know my nephew spent about a dozen, 15 years, and it was hard. He wasn't there for the weddings, the funerals, the birthdays, the Mother's Day. It's a huge sacrifice on the parents and on the family as much as it is on his part. So God bless you all.
Lynn Gajeta
God bless our military.
Mr. Truffles
Yes.
Mick Gajeta
Amen.
Mrs. Truffles
Amen.
Mr. Truffles
Okay, guys, well, that's it for now. We'll be right back with more for love and chocolate. This podcast is being brought to you by Beverly Hills Toy Chocolates of Switzerland. Beverly Hills Toy at 371 North Camden Drive in Beverly Hills has been serving up truffles, pralines, dipped fruits, marzipans, and our world famous chocolate bars for over 40 years. So next time you're in Beverly Hills, why don't you come by and visit or shop online@beverlyhillstoyshire.com. oh, my goodness. What an extraordinary story.
Mrs. Truffles
I love them.
Mr. Truffles
Me too. The sweetest story we got meeting when they were 15. It's crazy.
Mrs. Truffles
So cute. Well, you know, this is the beauty of getting out on the road with our mobile podcast studio.
Mr. Truffles
Yep.
Mrs. Truffles
And getting to meet these new people that we would never meet sitting here in Beverly Hills.
Mr. Truffles
I know. It's beautiful. It's such an adventure. And we love Adventures, don't we, Mrs. Truffles?
Mrs. Truffles
Yes, we do.
Mr. Truffles
Well, gang, thanks again for listening, and guess what? But we're gonna do it again next week. But until then, say goodbye, Mrs. Truffles.
Mrs. Truffles
Goodbye, Mrs. Truffles.
Mr. Truffles
This show was brought to you by Beverly Hills Toy Shirt Chocolates of Switzerland, home of the world's first and finest champagne truffles. Join us next week for more adventures in everlasting love.
Podcast Summary: "For Love and Chocolate" - Episode: "St. Patty’s and Heavy Petting"
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Hosts: Tommy and Tara Gallop
Produced by: Tara Gallop, Tommy Gallop, Adam Haagen
Title: St. Patty’s and Heavy Petting
In this heartwarming episode of "For Love and Chocolate," hosts Tommy and Tara Gallop return to their Beverly Hills chocolate shop after a bustling summer on the road. They share delightful anecdotes about their customers and delve into meaningful relationship advice drawn from listener questions and a special guest interview.
Tommy and Tara recount their encounter with a memorable customer, William Romeo Mayhem, a former American Gladiator known for his impressive physique and gentle demeanor.
Tommy: "He's got a double black belt and has won all these kickboxing awards." [01:43]
Tara: "He came in the other day, and we had a really great time reminiscing. He's a big, energetic ball of fun." [02:07]
William's visit highlights the diverse clientele that frequents their shop, each bringing unique stories of love and life.
Tommy and Tara open their mailbag to address three heartfelt questions from listeners seeking relationship advice.
Brian, a college senior, struggles with his girlfriend's upcoming role in a play featuring steamy kissing scenes. He fears expressing his discomfort might jeopardize their relationship.
Tommy shares a personal story about a similar experience, emphasizing the importance of open communication.
Jillian is anxious about her parents meeting her boyfriend's family, who support different political candidates.
Tara: "Maybe postpone the meeting until after the November election to avoid tension." [07:38]
Tommy: "If the meeting happens before the election, ask both sets of parents to leave politics off the table and focus on celebrating love." [07:41]
They advocate for creating a harmonious environment by setting clear boundaries.
Goldie seeks advice for her young daughter BB, who remains heartbroken after a two-year relationship ended abruptly.
Tommy and Tara encourage fostering positivity and resilience in BB to help her rediscover happiness.
The highlight of the episode features an inspiring interview with Mick and Lynn Gajeta, a couple celebrating over four decades of marriage. Their journey from teenage sweethearts to enduring partners offers valuable insights into sustaining a loving relationship.
Mick and Lynn first crossed paths in ninth grade at a public junior high after attending parochial school. Their initial connection was marked by shared activities and mutual support.
After high school, they quickly moved towards marriage, exchanging promise rings and planning their future despite the challenges of young adulthood.
Their proactive approach to life and commitment to each other laid the foundation for their lasting partnership.
Mick and Lynn attribute their enduring love to viewing life as a continuous adventure and maintaining effective communication.
Mick: "Our life has been an adventure together. We navigated disagreements by compromising and seeing challenges as part of the journey." [37:26]
Lynn: "It's always forward motion. Communication is everything, and we operate as a team every day." [39:10]
Their emphasis on teamwork, adaptability, and mutual growth serves as a blueprint for strong, lasting relationships.
In "St. Patty’s and Heavy Petting," Tommy and Tara Gallop blend sweet chocolate tales with profound relationship wisdom. From handling challenging situations to celebrating decades of love, this episode offers listeners both inspiration and practical advice to nurture their own romantic journeys.
Notable Quote:
Tara: "When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you." [10:27]
Tune in next week for more adventures in everlasting love, as Tommy and Tara continue to explore the delightful intersections of romance and chocolate.