Another date at a new place, the marina ! I’d never been to the lovely restaurant there, right on the water’s edge but followed directions and made it. Of course, I was a little early and not sure where to go, but as I got out of my car, there was a tall, swarthy, nice looking man leaning against a post, with his eyes on me. ‘Are you Val?’ he asked. ‘Yes. You’re Donald?’ A nod of his head and he said, ‘ Wow! I’m so glad to see you. I saw this hot babe getting out of her car and hoped against hope.’ I was wearing the only jeans I owned, snug but not too much, a great looking light blue polished cotton shirt AND my terrific straw hat with a wide blue band around the crown. That was a great start to a delightful lunch and walk long around the area commenting on the yachts.
Two hours went quickly in pleasant chit chat. I could sense his interest as I gave him a lame excuse I had to be back at my apartment by 3. First thing in the morning Donald called wanting to see me again. It was easy to say ‘Sure’. Then we had to decide where and when and he asked if I had ever been to the Miami zoo. ‘No.’ ‘Would you like me to take you?’ That was a different approach and sounded good to me.
Two days later we were on our way, down I 95, getting lost twice, but did get there. What a zoo! What a joy to stand for almost an hour just looking at, commenting on, the silver backed gorillas. Donald’s sense of humor about them kept me laughing all the way home. We had some lunch and saw a lot of other fantastic animals in what looked so natural habitats. The day was a treat for both of us.
And so Donald was into my life and stayed there for a few months. First he mailed me a very good drawing of the gorillas with a joke under it and soon he was coming to my apartment often, most of the time sitting on the lounge in my den, never making any advances to me. I sat on the sofa. We watched T.V., played Board games and mostly listened to Sinatra sing away evening after evening. We never got bored with that. Family joys and problems were endless. He was divorced and had two grown children, each involved in things he didn’t like and they had little communication with him. It was very easy to feel his pain.
He took me to the public golf course he used and hit a ball out of sight. I think at one time he was about a 4 handicap and that is darn good. Once he invited me to a dance at the club house there. I dressed up and he looked very nice.. We danced and danced, or at least I did–especially the Twist. He stood there and watched me shake my booty and laughed at me. In some ways we were so close, without ever touching other than holding hands.
Then he heard his mother died. She had a small house in a fishing village in New Foundland. He had to leave to take care of things and begged me, begged me again and again, to go with him. I would have my own room, total privacy if I wanted it. He showed me pictures of the place and I knew I could not go there. I would hate the environment, the old maple furniture, the lack of Jewish people in the town didn’t bother him as even with a very Jewish name, I learned quickly he was a Baptist. He was very disappointed and hurt but I had to stand my ground and so ended Donald.
Two full years later my phone rang one evening and the voice was Sinatra singing ‘Come Fly with Me’. I listened and knew, knew it was Donald. He began to cry as he told me how sick he had been since I left him, had been hospitalized because he still loved me and couldn’t get me out of his heart and mind. He HAS to see me !
That was going to be trouble so I told him ‘No, please go on with your life and don’t try to see me. I’m not calling you into my building.’ I was really frightened. Even though he couldn’t get in, he could wait outside my complex. I was very watchful for weeks but finally relaxed.
Now, even with about eight years gone since he called and sounded so pitiful, I still feel bad about our ending and keep on the lookout just in case he is lingering someplace near by –
maybe the marina.
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