Steve Smith from Deven in the UK met Carmen Ruiz from Spain 17 years ago when they were both in their 20s. Carmen was studying English at a language school in Steve's town, Torbay.
They fell in love and got engaged. But a year later Carmen moved to France to work, and the long-distance relationship first cooled and then ended.
A few years later Steve tried to get in touch with Carmen again,but she had changed her address in Paris. So he sent her a letter to her mother's address in Spain. In the letter he asked her if she was married and if she ever thought of him. He gave her his telephone number and asked her to get in touch. But Carmen's mother didn't send the letter to her daughter and it fell down behind the fireplace,where it stayed for ten trars.