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

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

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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Courtesy photo

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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Courtesy photo

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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Courtesy photo

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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Courtesy photo

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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Courtesy photo

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.”

Features, NewsAlex Dominguez