Still The Love Of His Life
[guest post by Dana]
Last week, a photo of an elderly man eating at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in California was posted online. Before him on the table was a photo of his deceased wife. According to the article, the elderly man always has at least one photo of her wherever he goes. He not only kisses “her” goodnight, but both her birthday and their anniversary are still celebrated as well.
The man, who has been captured eating at the fast food chain alongside photos of his late wife several times, told intrigued customers that he met his soul mate when they were both 17.
They dated briefly, before losing contact when he went off to war and her family moved away from California.
While he was serving for his country, the man constantly thought about the woman he loved and on his return to America, decided to look for her.
For the following ten years, he desperately searched for his love, refusing to date anyone else and answering claims that he was crazy with: ‘I am. Crazy in love.’
Finally, he visited a barber shop in California, where he discovered the barber’s daughter was, in fact, the woman he had spent so long searching for.
She, too, had spent the past decade searching for him, so he proposed and they wed. They then spent an amazing 55 years together.
Still crazy in love after all these years.
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (8e74ce) — 10/28/2014 @ 9:12 pmAwesome.
Thanks for making my evening, Dana.
the bhead (6323ca) — 10/28/2014 @ 10:11 pmhe’s a lucky man, even if it doesn’t seem like it now.
redc1c4 (2b3c9e) — 10/28/2014 @ 10:45 pmMy wife and I were were deliriously happy for 25 years. Then we met…(Runs and hides)
Gazzer (cb9ee2) — 10/28/2014 @ 10:46 pmHi.
mg (31009b) — 10/28/2014 @ 11:16 pmI imagine them as the happiest couple love can make.
Way cool old timer.
It reminds me of this story from a few months back.
http://www.supajam.com/news/story/Listen-96-year-old-man-wins-contest-and-writes-beautiful-song-for-his-wife-and-soulmate
Yes, there’s a video.
Steve57 (e92787) — 10/28/2014 @ 11:39 pmI’m sure it was worth the wait. Great story.
Dustin (fd00bd) — 10/29/2014 @ 12:29 amBack in the late ’70s, my small firm hired an accountant as a part-time salesman. He said he needed to get out more, that he had lost his wife to cancer and hadn’t been socializing enough, and thought sales was a good way to force himself to talk to more people. We gave him a shot and he did well, and when we lost our accountant we hired him for that.
He spoke of his wife all the time. Almost anything would bring up a memory, bittersweet in his tone and eyes. But he also mentioned how he felt he was making progress with his grief, and how grateful he was to us all for taking him in (he did appear to be a project when we hired him, but quickly became a valued employee and friend).
He became close to management, very likable chap, and when the next Christmas season came, he asked the staff over to his apartment for a drop-in cocktail party, mentioning he hadn’t entertained since his wife passed away.
–
So we went and his apartment was beautifully appointed. Much cleaner than the average 50-something single man’s, and filled with antique furniture, rugs, art, and fixtures, all tastefully arranged. It was the apartment of a wealthy art collector. When the fine decor was mentioned, he laughed and said it was all her, she picked out everything, even the imported cherry brandy we were sipping was her favorite.
There were several pictures of her displayed, and a portrait on the wall, as well. She had been a beautiful woman, they would have seemed an odd couple, the European blonde beauty and the mousy little accountant fellow.
–
In the hallway leading to the bathroom and bedrooms, there was a table with a lamp and picture of them together. I noticed he was much younger in that photo, no gray hair, no lines on the face. So a bit later, when he once again mentioned her in conversation, I just asked him, how long had it been?
He choked up a bit, and said “Fifteen years, last month. I haven’t changed a thing since. You are the first guests I’ve had since she died. And it still seems like yesterday.” At that, he teared up and began to tremble. He was a rather formal, although kind, fellow, so it felt awkward to hug him but I had no other idea, so he sobbed on my shoulder for few seconds before composing himself.
–
I apologized and asked if we should leave. He laughed and insisted we stay, saying his beloved would smile to see friends celebrating in their home again and would scold him as an old wet blanket if he spoiled their own party. And he was a witty and delightful host the rest of the evening.
It was quite a revelation. We had all assumed that she had passed only recently by the way he spoke of her.
Estragon (ada867) — 10/29/2014 @ 2:12 amFate can be a beautiful thing. Thanks for posting, Dana.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 10/29/2014 @ 5:23 amEstragon #8 – for him, it was likely all-too-recently …
Alastor (e7cb73) — 10/29/2014 @ 1:26 pmThanks Dana for the sweet post. My Mom passed two years ago and not a day goes by where my 90 year old Dad doesn’t “talk” with her. Much of the way that he does chores and cooking he does to keep “Jan” happy. His is a genuine love that was integral to their 66 year marriage. I just celebrated 39 years with the love of my life and we are looking forward to many more together.
in_awe (7c859a) — 10/29/2014 @ 4:38 pm