A Love to Stand the Test of Time Tom Payne first met Barbara Dee Casteel on a blind date in 1957, when he was a student at Texas A&M University. His roommate, Bob, had set them up. The stunning brunette, with her long, wavy dark brown hair and bright, perky smile, dazzled Tom. Afterwards, he couldn't quite get her out of his mind: I thought about Barbara a lot. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something about her that gave me a feeling of serenity when I was with her. The best way to describe it is that I just felt comfortable with Barbara, right from the start. I first became aware of this feeling when we were at lunch at the restaurant right after she arrived - the feeling that I could sit there forever and watch her eat and listen to her talk. I don't remember a word she said, but I remember thinking how nice it was to be with her... Nearly five decades later, Tom and Barbara are still together. My Life with Barbara is a gift from Tom to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary on October 5, 2007. My Life with Barbara is a touching love story, beautifully rendered with its simple, heartfelt honesty. It is the kind of romance most people search for their entire lives, and few ever find.