Haley Millstein’s heart hadn’t been on the hunt for love when she scrolled through Taskrabbit on that chilly February day in 2022, just days before Valentine’s. At 30, the Maryland native had just bought a sleek dresser from Target for her cozy SoHo apartment, but she needed a handyman—not just to assemble it, but to haul the heavy box up those notorious stairs. Other guys had shown up and bailed, muttering about policies and refusing to lift a finger. “It happened to me twice,” she later recalled with a chuckle. “They’d arrive, look at the stairs, and say, ‘No ma’am, we’re not doing your job.’ It was frustrating, like the universe was testing my patience.” But that day, her eyes landed on Hymie’s profile. The headshot was polished, Wall Street-professional with a hint of mystery. He spoke English and Hebrew—perfect for a nice Jewish boy fan like her. “I love myself a NJB,” she admitted. It was a spark in the mundane.
Hymie Tawil, 36, a Gravesend, Brooklyn native, was wrapping up his workday in Manhattan when her task popped up. He wasn’t even seeking gigs, but her profile picture stopped him in his tracks. There was something irresistible about her smile, her energy radiating through the screen. “I was at the end of a long day, and her task came in. I saw her face and just couldn’t resist,” he said. He accepted on the spot. That evening, he parked near her apartment on Prince and Mercer, facing what he called a “ski slope of a walkup”—40 steep stairs for two floors. With his size 15 feet barely fitting on each step, it was a hilarious struggle. Haley, mid-Zoom call for her interior design work, greeted him with a laugh. The box was there, but a part was missing, halting progress. Hymie felt bad; he’d charge her anyway. “I texted her when she got the part, I’d come back,” he offered, leaving his number.
But before he could even reach his car, a text buzzed: “Hey, sorry to be forward. Any chance you’re single?” Haley was bold, direct. Their exchange was instant chemistry. “Yeah, why, you interested?” he replied. “Yeah. You?” “Yeah.” Just like that, plans shifted. She invited him for a drink, but he had to dash back to Brooklyn to let out his dog. “Let’s sweatpants and couch it,” she suggested, feeling the fatigue of the day. He returned with tequila, dressed in a “Tom and Jerry” sweatshirt and “Rick and Morty” socks. “Who did I just let into my house?” she thought, amused yet wary. But as they talked and laughed, the drinks flowed, and the couch became their world. That night, they bonded over shared stories, quick wit, and an unexpected comfort.
The next day, he was back, proving his commitment. They spent Valentine’s Day together on that very couch, only a week into knowing each other. Haley got him Levain cookies for his sweet tooth; Hymie brought a teddy bear and flowers—a simple, heartfelt gesture. They celebrated their whirlwind start, toasting to the dresser that sparked it all. Months later, after he’d assembled it for free—”At that time, we were already so serious,” he grinned—they dove deeper into each other’s lives. Haley, with her creative interior touches, and Hymie, juggling Taskrabbit jobs while holding onto his Wall Street background, found they complemented each other perfectly. Their couch dates became legendary; even attempts at fancy dinners felt forced in NYC’s bustle. They preferred quiet nights in, sharing dreams and laughs.
As time passed, their connection solidified. Haley moved back to Maryland with Hymie, leaving the city behind but cherishing the memories of their origin story. He proposed in a way that echoed their start—practical, sweet, full of promise. “They lived hoppily ever after,” a nod to the playful coincidences that brought them together. Hymie’s Hebrew roots and her NJB dreams wove into a tapestry of family plans, future adventures, and endless inside jokes. They embraced each other’s quirks: his towering feet, her bold texts, the tequila nights. It was a love story built on chance, not checkboxes, proving that sometimes, the right person arrives when you least expect—and via an app no less.
Reflecting on it, both laugh at the irony: a furniture assembly turning into forever. “Good thing she wasn’t having a bad ‘hare’ day,” Hymie muses, referencing their shared love for puns and cartoons. Their tale reminds us that life’s magic often hides in the everyday hassles—like stubborn stairs or missing parts. Haley and Hymie show that true connections thrive on humor, honesty, and a willingness to say yes to the unexpected. From a missed delivery to a lifetime commitment, theirs is a romance that’s as human as it gets—messy, spontaneous, and utterly heartwarming. In the end, they didn’t need grand gestures; just each other, making their own “happily ever after” one couch session at a time.
