Love at first sight? Oh, that’s the stuff of fairy tales, isn’t it? Yet every once in a while, we stumble upon a romance that defies all logic, understanding, and our oh-so-limited human experience. Such is the story of James Garner and Lois Clarke. Imagine walking into a barbecue and walking out with the love of your life. That’s what happened when James first laid eyes on Lois.

Now, don’t you go thinking this was your ordinary backyard BBQ. No, this was a 1956 shindig for Adlai Stevenson’s presidential run. James met Lois, and according to his memoir, it was love at first sight. Not just a whimsical glance over the potato salad, but a thunderbolt of love. He wrote, “She was as beautiful as she was sweet… It was a barbeque and I ended up in the pool with the children.” Oh, the charisma of a man who can spot his future in-laws from underwater.

Whirlwind romance? Try whirlwind tornado. They dated for a grand total of two weeks before tying the knot on August 17, 1956, in Beverly Hills, no less. Forget a summer fling; they went from cupid’s arrow to exchanging vows faster than you can say “Beverly Hills courthouse.”

Now, before you ring up the skeptics, yes, friends and family were aghast. They were different as night and day, oil and water, pick your metaphor. Lois was Jewish from Los Angeles; James was a Methodist from Oklahoma. He was outdoorsy, and she was more of a homebody. She dreamed; he had his feet on the ground. It was like marrying a cat to a dog and expecting them to agree on the sofa space.

But you know what? None of that mattered to them. As James eloquently put it, “None of the naysayers had stopped to consider that Lois and I complemented each other. What they saw as weaknesses, we saw as strengths.” Now there’s a relationship motto to embroider on a pillow!

Their blended family was soon complete with the birth of their daughter, Gigi, and James even adopted Lois’s daughter from a previous marriage, Kim. Times weren’t always rosy—they had a brief separation in the ’70s, and let’s not forget those pesky rumors about James and a guest star from his show, “The Rockford Files.” But the issues weren’t Lois vs James. No, it was Hollywood and its pressure cooker life.

James said it best himself: “Lois and I were never in serious trouble. Ninety-nine percent of the problem was the pressures of Rockford. It wasn’t us, it was me needing to get away to get my head together.” Ah, he wasn’t just acting in Hollywood; the drama found its way home too.

Fast forward through, oh, just about 60 years of wedded bliss, and there they stood, a testament to a love that once seemed flighty and impossible. James passed away at the grand age of 86, leaving behind a love story worthy of the silver screen.

For those who savor a good love tale, here’s a charming video to quench your heart’s yearning:

In the end, what can we learn from James and Lois? Well, let’s face it: sometimes, love is as unpredictable as that odd uncle at family gatherings and as enduring as your grandmother’s fine china. Love knows no logic, but sometimes, it knows just what it’s doing.