So where to begin? I was born May 29th, 1939
------- Nahh.
Along about 1985 we met a 17 year
old French guy named Oliver Amicel. It was a very casual meeting at the house
of one of Marilyn’s co-worker. Cut to the chase, Glenn. We became friends with Oliver, his sister
Catherine and their parents Michel and Michele. Marilyn does very well in
French now but 30 years ago we didn’t have a common language with the parents. So
the friendship blossomed anyway. They came here, we went there. We toured California
and France, and then we went to Italy together. 29 years passed. When we went to Europe last Fall we had it in
mind that it was the last trip. When we flew out of Rome and Paris there were
more than a few tears. Michel is four years older than I am. He turned 80
Saturday the 16th of January. We were invited to the party, we made
some jokes about going and surprising them but it wasn’t really in the
financial cards. ……. Until ….. our
stockbroker called. Seems we didn’t take enough money out of the retirement
fund last year. The check just covered the air fare and we had to go. Flew to
London, changed planes and went on to Paris Orly. Now I’ve said before that I’ve
been lucky all my life and this was no exception. I had a window seat on the
right side of the Airbus and there was Paris, the air clear as crystal and the
whole city spread out like a magic carpet of lights. I teared up again. In all
the times we’ve landed in Paris I had never seen it like that.
We hid out with Oliver and his
wife Francine, had a Friday night party with his friends, went shopping
Saturday and Saturday night we went to the Amicels neighborhood restaurant for
the party. The surprise went perfectly, I’ll remember the looks on their faces
until the day I check out. Then we had a week in Paris to get acquainted with
the family again.
What’s the point of all this?
What I have said over and over again. All we had to do was open the door. Marilyn
did the heavy lifting, We had the right
house at the right time, we were the right age and I got that wonderful final
approach to Orly airport. And a hell of a birthday party.
