I met my wife in June of 1996, in a chat room on IRC.  There was an instant attraction between us, you could almost call it "love at first sight", except that we had not seen each other face to face. 

On July 28th, her birthday, I wanted to give her a very special and unique birthday present.  The problem with that was that we were over 800 miles apart.  I was in Chicago and she was in West Virginia.  I had recently been laid off of work due to health problems and could not afford to buy her a lavish gift.  So, using the technology of the internet, I was able to give her our first date together, which was a virtual date.

How I achieved this was as follows:

I sent her an e-mail that said, "You put on your party dress", and I included a picture of a lady wearing a fancy nightgown. 

Then I sent her an e-mail saying, "I have sent a stretch limousine to drive you to the restaurant where I await your presence".  I included within the e-mail a picture of a white stretch limousine.

I then sent her an e-mail with a picture of a man in a tuxedo holding a dozen long stem roses, and said "I meet you at the entrance of our favorite restaurant".

In the next e-mail, I said, "How about a dance before dinner?", and attached a video of a couple doing the tango.

Then, after our dance, I asked if she was ready to dine on lobster and caviar and drink the finest wine money could buy.  Attached to this e-mail were several photographs of a couple that was clearly in love, dining on lobster and toasting each other with a bottle of Dom Perignon, the finest money could buy.

Next, I sent her a picture of a couple taking a ride around New York City in a Hansom Cab, snuggled up under a blanket, sipping hot cocoa.

Then I called her on the phone.  When she answered, I could hear the tears of happiness she was choking back while talking to me.  She said, "That was the most romantic date I have never had, and the best birthday present ever."