The Story They Wrote

Rob hung up the phone and thought about what his brother had said, “If you want to impress this girl you can’t do your usual thing. No movies and a diner. I met her and she’s really something. Pretty and bright, but she’s been around. She’s a flight attendant and probably has been wined and dined all over the world. If you want to have a chance with her you better impress her from the start.” 

Rob had been chatting with Patty for a couple of weeks now. A mutual friend had given him Patty’s number and suggested he ask her out. On the phone, she sounded funny and quick. But Rob was just a law student. He didn’t think he’d have a chance with some sophisticated girl. Still, when she said during their last conversation, “So, are you ever going to ask me out?” he’d mumbled yes and said they’d make plans during their next phone conversation. So here he was, stuck with a date for Saturday and he’d have to try and impress her with his wit and sophistication. Well, wit he had!  

He called the fanciest Italian restaurant he knew and was lucky enough to score a table for two at 8:00. He even stopped by the restaurant to look at the table to make sure it wasn’t next to the restrooms. A friendly waitress assured him that she would take care of him that night. She promised him a candle and flowers on the table. He gulped when he saw the prices on the menu but hoped maybe Patty would order pasta. Maybe they could share a salad. And since he wasn’t much on wine maybe she would just order a glass. He brought his suit to the dry cleaners and ironed his one good dress shirt. The sleeves were a little worn but hopefully, she wouldn’t notice. Glumly he surveyed himself in the mirror. His red curls were getting out of control but he did have nice blue eyes. An old girlfriend had told him that she got lost in his eyes but they were both stoned at the time. He wasn’t sure if that counted. 

He picked up the phone to call. He realized he was holding his breath as the phone rang. “Hi, Patty.” He poured out all his plans to her, omitting the fact that he planned to buy her flowers as well. “Sound good to you?” Her usually confident voice sounded tentative for the first time. “Okay, if that’s what you want to do on our first date.” She went on to say that she’d hoped for something more fun. More fun? More fun? This would cost him a fortune and she wanted more fun? He stared at the phone in disbelief. What could be more romantic than a candle-lit dinner? Just what did this girl have in mind? 

“I thought we could go someplace like maybe Nathan’s? They have great hot dogs and a games arcade. And there are a couple of good movies around. But if that doesn’t sound good to you I guess we could go for a fancy dinner. I just never feel comfortable in places like that. Like the waiter is looking down his nose at me!” 

Rob realized that this girl might be as special as his brother said, but for different reasons. Soon enough Saturday night rolled around. Rob put on a sweater and jeans and Patty opened the door. “Wow!” he thought, “She’s pretty.” She had long brown, almost black hair and warm brown eyes. A form-fitting black sweater was tucked into her hip-hugging bell-bottom jeans. Petite, she barely came up to his shoulder. He didn’t think he had ever dated someone that pretty before. She smiled and said she’d be ready in a minute; Rob spent the next 15 minutes waiting for her. He wondered exactly what she was doing; she’d looked great to him when she opened the door. What he didn’t know was that he would spend the next four decades of his life waiting for her and pretending to get annoyed. The truth was, he would love lying on the bed watching her primp, and seeing her smiling at him when she caught his eye in the mirror. But of course, he didn’t know that at the time.

Nathan’s was as promised. The little tables with the plastic seats were scattered all around the dingy dining area. The place was noisy, cavernous, and filled with families. But Patty smiled and grabbed Rob’s hand. “Come on – you get the hot dogs and I’ll get the fries. They met back at the condiments and fought over who got the sauerkraut first. Patty explained as they finished off their fries, “I can never get anyone to go here with me. I love this place.” 

The games arcade with its bright garish lights and loud bells beckoned. Rob tried his best, he was usually good at games but kept getting distracted by Patty. She laughed and leaned into him as if they’d know each other forever. When she beat him at his favorite basketball game he knew it was time to go. 

The evening flew by. He had never had a first date like that. As a matter of fact, he’d never had a date like that at all. Unwilling to let the night end, he suggested a movie. “Sure, and maybe we can get dessert at a diner?” Rob couldn’t wait to tell his brother how wrong he had been. 

That night, although Rob wouldn’t find out for many years, Patty went home and told her parents “Tonight I met the guy I’m going to marry.” And five months later they were married! 

The wedding was at an old mansion that had been converted into a restaurant. They were married in the gardens on a beautiful June day. One of Rob’s friends, Doug, offered to take the pictures and gave them an album for a wedding present. Together, they paged through the album. They picked the picture of them cutting the cake to frame. Patty looked up at him as if he was the only man in the world. And for her, he was. Rob thought she was the most beautiful bride in the world.

Patty didn’t care that he had no money, and two years of law school left. The daily grind on the subway didn’t seem so bad to him anymore. They had very little. Patty’s old car from college, one broken-down old chair, and two pillows Patty had made. But they were happy.

Slowly, ever so slowly they slogged their way into the middle class. First Patty got a teaching job and then Rob interviewed for his first job at a law firm. Ironing his shirt he told Patty about the first date he had originally planned. “Really, a pretentious fancy restaurant? I’d have hated that.”

They felt like they had an enchanted life. The years seemed to fly by. Kids, college, grandkids. It went too fast. And then suddenly the spell was broken. Patty got cancer and lost her battle. Now, 43 years later, he sat alone on the couch, looking at the framed photo of the two of them. He could almost feel her looking at it with him over his shoulder. How young they were. Babies really.

He realized he wouldn’t have changed a thing. He loved the story they had written. Tired, he put down the picture and closed his eyes. There was Patty, long brown hair, and bell-bottom jeans. Smiling, she reached out and took his hand.