After founding Microsoft, within a decade Bill Gates had become one of the most eligible bachelors of USA who no girl could refuse to marry. Numerous girls and woman adored him. When Bill was told how the girls were crazy for him, he could hardly believe. He would remark that he was just an average person, so why should girls be crazy for him? Why they wanted to marry him, he would wonder!
From the very childhood Bill was a shy and solitude loving person. He hesitated to be friends with the young women. It is not that he was some kind of a weirdo who did not like the company of the opposite sex. As a teenager, like other boys he too looked forward to the dance parties. But due to his shy nature he could not strike friendhip with any girl. That is why after the launch of Microsoft and becoming one of the most eligible bachelors, his list of the female friends had just one entry. And that name was Ann Winblade. She used to accompany Bill during the summer vacations. Ann herself was a fellow professional.
Their friendship was based on being comrades in-trade. The two had met in 1984 in ‘Ben Roger Dyson Computer Conference’. Then, they met often but the subject of discussion was also business matters. After several such meetings they started going on ‘Virtual dates’. Now they discussed other subjects like movies, music and other social developments. They talked on phone when the physical meetings were not possible due to busy schedules.
After sometime their friendship became more intimate. The two went to Brazil together for long holidays. During their sojjourn in Brazil the two together read 1200 page book of James Watson ‘Molecular Biology of the Gene’. When they went to Santa Barbara the two spent most of their time in studying physics. Ann had taken along recordings of the lectures of Richard Fanman. During their central African tour the two had a good time with friends and spent quite some time in strolling the beaches.
Bill always took Ann for a good friend and accepted her advice often. It was the strong advocacy of vegetarianism by Ann that Bill did not eat the meat for several years. Anna was five years senior to Bill but the friends and people thought they would tie the knot some day nevertheless. But they were in for a surprise. The fact was that between the relationship of Ann and Bill the spark was missing. The chemistry that works between two persons, a man and woman which triggers off love did not happen. In 1907 the two stopped seeing each other on personal level. Then, Melinda came into the life of Bill Gates.
Infact, Bill and Melinda had met for the first time in a press conference of Microsoft. Bill suddenly realised that two persons from different backgrounds and professions could fall in love and walk together hand in hand. The chemistry had finally worked for Bill. In the very first meeting Bill felt that strange thing happening to him.
After spending sometime with her Bill one day called Ann and told her about the existence of girl named Melinda French. He truthfully admitted of the strong possibility of his getting married to her. Ann did not protest or betray shock. May be, for her the happiness of Bill and her friendship with him came first. Deep down in her heart Ann might have felt cheated or betrayed. Even after the revelation about Melinda their friendship continued as before.
Even after Bill and Melinda got married Ann accompanied them on their holidays several times. Melinda never objected to her friendship with Bill. Melinda was a very intelligent woman with a mature outlook. Narrow-mindedness and jealousy were alien to her. Her thoughts were clean and she trusted Bill completely. Melinda was very educated young woman. She had graduated in computer science and economics from the Duke University. Then, she earned MBA degree from Duke Fuke School of Business.
Before marriage when Bill and Melinda went out on date they loved listening to romantic songs. ‘The Molecular Biology of Gene’ did not intervene. Only after meeting Melinda Bill Gates realised why a man must get married and have a life partner.
In 1993 one Sunday morning shy Bill proposed to Melinda when they were returning from Palm Springs holiday town. Bill changed his flight plan and flew on to Omaha. They met their friend Warren Buffet and took part in the opening ceremony of his jewellery shop. Bill selected an engagement ring for Melinda. Then, on January 1, 1994 in the pleasant evening 38 year old Bill Gates and Melinda French tied the knot at Laynord Island. For privacy Bill had booked all the 250 suites of the hotel. Bill had himself chosen that 70 square km Island for their wedding which cost about one million.
