Six Downey couples take the hot seat
With romance in the air this week, the Patriot set out to learn about a handful of Downey with a fun (and potentially pot-stirring) rendition of the “Wedding Shoe Game.”
Manny and Lorraine Valenzuela
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How they met: At a Cinco de Mayo party, when Lorraine crossed the street to complain about the noise.
Time together: Married since 1996
Valentine’s Day Plans: Heart shaped pizzas and small gifts with their daughters
Who’s more romantic?
Lorraine: “Manny.”
Manny: “Definitely agree.”
Who’s the most stubborn?
Manny: “Lorraine.”
Lorraine: “Yeah, guilty.”
Who said “I love you first?
Lorraine: “Me. He took some convincing. I think it was because we were young, he still had some game to play. But as he likes to tell people, I got my meat hooks into him; basically, that’s what happened.”
Who spends more money?
Lorraine: “Manny.”
Manny: “As evidenced by the brand-new RV in our driveway.”
Who’s the more likely to respond to return a call or answer a text first?
Lorraine: “Oh my gosh, me!”
Manny: “Definitely.”
Who’s the messiest?
Manny: “Lorraine. Definitely.”
Lorraine: “I mean, I have my moments.”
Who’s more likely to start an argument?
Manny: “Lorraine, definitely.”
Lorraine: “I mean when I’m right, I’m right.”
Who’s more likely to say, “I’m sorry after an argument?”
Manny: “Me.”
Lorraine: “I don’t know if I agree with that one.”
Manny: “Always! Because she starts the argument and I have to end it. Whether it was my fault or not, I have to say sorry to get moving.”
Lorraine: “He’s right.”
Who’s “The Boss?”
Manny: “Definitely Lorraine. I could suggest all I want, but if it doesn’t get approved…”
Lorraine: “Yeah, me. It’s not fair for him anyways because I have two daughters and they tend to take my side.”
Alberto Rodriguez and Helen Arevalo
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How they met: Alberto frequented a restaurant Helen worked at. He courted her for four summers when he would visit on holiday
Time together: Married in 2016
Valentine’s Day Plans: Water bikes and lunch at the Pike.
Who’s more romantic?
Alberto: “I think Helen.”
Who’s the most stubborn?
Helen: “He is.”
Alberto: “Helen!”
Who said “I love you” first?
Helen: “He did.”
Alberto: “Me. The first thing I do in the morning.”
Who spends more money?
Helen: “Me!”
Alberto: “Helen, definitely”
Who’s the more likely to respond to return a call or answer a text first?
Alberto: “Helen.”
Who’s the messiest?
Helen: “It would have to be me.”
Alberto: “I think me.”
Helen: “I’m pregnant right now so he’s picking up after my slack.”
Who’s more likely to start an argument?
Helen: “Me.”
Alberto: “Helen.”
Who’s more likely to say, “I’m sorry after an argument?”
Alberto: “Me.”
Who’s “The Boss?”
Helen: “You!”
Alberto: “Me.”
David Lopez and Jessica Rojas
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How they met: In the Warren High School Band
Time together: March 9, 2016
Valentine’s Day Plans: A cliffside / beach picnic
Who’s more romantic?
David: “Me!”
Jessica: “I’m going to give him this one; he’s definitely the more romantic one.”
Who’s the most stubborn?
David: “It depends. Sometimes it’s you, and sometimes it’s me.”
Jessica: “I honestly have no answer for this, because you have your days. I’ll never admit that I’m wrong, or I do after a little bit.”
David: “Let’s just go with you.”
Jessica: “You think I’m more stubborn than you?”
David: “I used to be the more stubborn one. Now it’s starting to be a little more you.”
Jessica: “But I feel… okay, yeah, fine.”
Who said “I love you first?
Jessica: “You! You blurted it out.”
David: “Me!”
Who spends more money?
David: “Me.”
Jessica: “Oh my gosh, yeah.”
Who’s the messiest?
Jessica: “You!”
Who’s the more likely to respond to return a call or answer a text first?
Jessica: “That’s David.”
David: “Me.”
Who’s more likely to start an argument?
Jessica: “I feel like that’s pretty much me. It’s not that I start the argument, but I feel like I always have to talk stuff out.”
Who’s more likely to say, “I’m sorry” after an argument?
David: “Me.”
Jessica: “Me.”
David: “Oh…”
Jessica: “Even when I’m upset with you, I say I’m sorry.”
David: “But whenever you bring up something, I’ll listen to you and say I’m sorry.”
Jessica: “But if you’re really upset with me, and I’m really upset with you, then I can’t go that long without talking to you. I will definitely come to you first. You can hold out a little bit longer.”
Who’s “The Boss?”
David: “That one switches.”
Jessica: “Me.”
David: “Oh wow, there it is.”
Jessica: “I think you’re a leadership type; I respect you. I listen to a lot of what you say. But just looking at the relationship…who is the CEO? It would be me.”
David: “I’m executive chairman.”
Eric and Maria Arencibia
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How they met: Through volunteering around town
Time together: Married 2018
Valentine’s Day Plans: The Olive
Who’s more romantic?
Eric: “Me.”
Maria: “I am! I plan everything”
Eric: “Oh, yeah. She plans everything.”
Who’s the most stubborn?
Eric: “Oh! My wife! 100%”
Maria: “I agree. I’m not going to argue that one.”
Who said “I love you first?
Eric: “I think we both did at the same time. I don’t know.”
Maria: “That’s a tough one. You did.”
Eric: “I did.”
Who spends more money?
Eric: “You?”
Maria: “I would say you do.”
Eric: “Why do you say that?”
Maria: “Whatever I ask for.”
Who’s the messiest?
Maria: “Eric.”
Eric: “Probably me.”
Who’s the more likely to respond to return a call or answer a text first?
Maria: “Me.”
Eric: “Hmm. Yeah.”
Maria: “It just took you five minutes to answer yes.”
Who’s more likely to start an argument?
Eric: “My wife.”
Maria: “I’m pleading the fifth on that one. We will talk later.”
Eric: “I think it’s both.”
Who’s more likely to say, “I’m sorry after an argument?”
Maria: “Eric, because I’m never wrong.”
Who’s “The Boss?”
Maria: “I want Eric to answer this one.”
Eric: “I’ll let her take that one.”
Maria: “Oh, you’ll let me? Okay.”
Eric: “She’s stubborn. She gets what she wants.”
Maria: “I’m the boss.”
Tyler and Melissa Shelton
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How they met: Confirmation classes in high school at St. Raymond’s.
Time together: Married in 2018
Valentine’s Day Plans: A glass of wine “after the boys go to bed”
Who’s more romantic?
Tyler: “I think I am.”
Melissa: “Yeah, Tyler.”
Who’s the most stubborn?
Melissa: “It’s a tie.”
Tyler: “Yeah.”
Melissa: “We’re both stubborn in our own way.”
Tyler: “And it’s not good for anybody.”
Who said “I love you first?”
Tyler: “I did.”
Melissa: “Tyler did.”
Who spends more money?
Melissa: “…Melissa.”
Who’s the messiest?
Tyler: “Ooh, Tyler is. I’m not good at cleaning up afterwards.”
Who’s the more likely to respond to return a call or answer a text first?
Tyler: “Melissa.”
Melissa: “Melissa.”
Who’s more likely to start an argument?
Tyler: “Ooh, that’s a good one. I think Melissa.”
Melissa: “Melissa, but Tyler causes it. Melissa starts the argument because of the cause that is Tyler.”
Who’s more likely to say, “I’m sorry after an argument?”
Tyler: “Yeah babe. Who’s the more likely to say I’m sorry?”
Melissa: “I don’t know, we’re both stubborn. I don’t think either of us says sorry.”
Tyler: “Yeah, that part of the argument doesn’t happen. Uh, I say I’m sorry…”
Melissa: “Because you’re the cause.”
Tyler: “Because I don’t feel like arguing all week.”
Melissa: “We’ll say Tyler.”
Tyler: “I think I find my way to have done things differently, being more open minded and considerate, I guess.”
Who’s “The Boss?”
Tyler: “Melissa.”
Melissa: “Melissa.”
Vijay Patel and Sheetal Desai
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How they met: High school sweethearts
Time together: Married 2010
Valentines Day Plans: Take-out from Alexander’s Steakhouse with daughters.
Who’s more romantic?
Sheetal: “Are either one of us romantic?”
Vijay: “I would say initially I was romantic, but as the years went on – I’m not going to lie, my wife can attest to this – the romance kind of goes on the backside. We grew out of that I guess, but we still have our moments.”
Who’s the most stubborn?
Sheetal: “Me, for sure.”
Vijay: “I would have to say my wife.”
Who said “I love you first?
Vijay: “Me.”
Who spends more money?
Vijay: “That’s me, for sure”
Who’s the messiest?
Vijay: “That’s me.”
Sheetal: “Oh, Jay.”
Who’s the more likely to respond to return a call or answer a text first?
Vijay: “That would be me.”
Sheetal: “Me.”
Vijay: “No way. I’m glued to my phone because of my work.”
Sheetal: “Actually, you are.”
Who’s more likely to start an argument?
Vijay: “Oh, that’s me. Actually, no.”
Sheetal: “I’m going to say me.”
Vijay: “I don’t know.”
Sheetal: “I finish them. You start them. Is that what it is?”
Vijay: “She’s being smart.”
Who’s more likely to say, “I’m sorry after an argument?”
Vijay: “Ooh, I don’t think anyone.”
Sheetal: “This is the stubborn part. I would say Jay.”
Vijay: “Over the years, I’ve learned that I should be the one to initiate the sorry. Save some face.”
Sheetal: “One because I know I’m right…”
Vijay: “Yeah right.”
Who’s “The Boss?”
Vijay: “I would say my wife. Happy wife, happy life.”