An alliance built on persistence

My guests’ journey began in elementary school — and resulted in a marriage that has produced four sons, a family YouTube channel, a podcast called “Dead A ss With K&D” and the best-selling relationship book “We Over Me: The Counterintuitive Approach to Getting Everything You Want From Your Relationship.”

How did Khadeen and Devale Ellis get together? Well, she shot her shot. Like I mentioned, the pair went to elementary school together, then rival high schools, and ran into each other from time to time.

“He used to work in Häagen-Dazs in the mall, and I never had the guts to go up to him and say anything,” Khadeen told me on “Renaissance Man.” But upon graduation, he received a scholarship from their elementary school, and Khadeen was hosting the event.

“I was quivering a little bit, you know. So it had to be the right moment for me to approach him,” she said.

The pair started chatting, and Khadeen thought Devale was going to ask for her number. He didn’t because, he said, “I already had a plan. I was going to walk away . . . and I was going to let her walk away and then come back. And I didn’t get a chance to do that. Because when I turn to walk away, she goes, ‘Since you ain’t want to ask me for my number.’ ”

She scribbled her digits down and said, “That’s the right number. And go ahead and use that.”

This was about 2002. It was her landline, and he kept calling. But her 7-yearold sister kept answering and hanging up on him. This happened the entire summer: The two were both trying to connect to no avail. Khadeen finally went to the White Pages to find his home number. The pair finally talked and the rest is history.