Couple Make A Game Out Of Romancing

Barbara and Michael Jonas turned a marital spat into a million-dollar business.

“We like to think of ourselves as the other side of the divorce statistic,” Michael says from his San Francisco office.

Here’s the story:

Michael wanted Barbara to accompany him on a business trip to San Diego. She said no, too much to do at home.

Michael left in a huff and didn’t call while he was gone.

When he returned several days later, he found a note pinned to the front door.

“Welcome home!! Put on something comfortable and meet me in the living room.”

Michael showered and shaved, then walked into the darkened living room to discover Barbara sitting by a fire, surrounded by chrysanthemums and candles.

A bottle of champagne, strawberries and M&Ms (Michael’s favorite candy), were clustered on a table.

And then there was this game that Barbara made up for the couple to play.

“I didn’t want to spend the night rehashing the fight,” Barbara said. “I wanted to go from the negative stuff to the good stuff.”

So she printed instructions for loving interchanges on stacks of index cards. They took turns picking things like:

“The future includes hopes and dreams - what three things do you hope your partner will experience this year?”

“Using the tip of a finger and your most flowery style, trace your name somewhere on your partner’s body.”

The anger melted. Barbara says the game, which they decided might help other couples, changed the direction of their lives.

In 1982, the first version of “Enchanted Evening” debuted. In 1990, they both quit their jobs to concentrate on marketing the game, which has since sold more than 700,000 copies.

It has enjoyed more longevity in the marketplace than any other romantic game.

“Enchanted Evening” is available in most game stores.

The Jonases have received thousands of letters from couples sharing their experiences with the game. They compiled the best romantic ideas gleaned from the correspondence in a book, “Love, Laughter & Romance,” available in most bookstores. And, now, in time for the wedding season, they are promoting a new game, “Romantic Sensations.”

The main goal is to “delight in the senses” by following instructions printed on little cards:

“Use your hands as little feet and run all over your partner’s body.”

“Place your ear near your partner’s heart and listen to the gentle rhythm of its beating.”

Funniest thing about this whole game business is what it has forced the Jonases, who have been married 32 years, to do:

Travel together.