Little Love Stories

Memento Dinner for some guests on the by Ann Baker Boardwalk, not the dining room. Downtown, in the city of Rochester, The student, enjoying a second summer New York, there’s a bridge with a working at the shore, view of the Genesee River. It is Clad in white clam diggers, with named after former Rochester sunkissed bare feet, residents, Frederick Douglass and approached the young man sitting alone. Susan B. Anthony. We call it the After work, they departed together, Freddy Sue Bridge. I miss it. Briefly visited a crowded bar, Twin Lights, high above the sea, quiet, _____ dark . . . just the place to talk for hours. They talked every day

Chance or fate? til Labor Day, when she left, for her by Judy Toohey senior year. They pledged to continue

that My husband could have married my conversation . . . It lasted for the next 56 sister. Was it chance or fate that he years! didn’t? _____ The second weekend of our freshman year, 1953, two Harvard boys drove Love me, love my St. Bernard over from Cambridge looking to by Gini Smith meet some coeds. The two boys chose to talk with my identical twin Come meet my pooch. and me. As one chatted with my His name is Mooch. sister, the other really didn’t have a He likes a single square of steak choice. He got me! With a double spot of hootch.

And that was the beginning. Was it Beware! He'll lick your shiny boot. chance? I was meeting my future And lap your hand, a swarmy smooch. husband. Yes, we were married three He leans for love. So, slide on down. years later and together for fifty-eight Give him some room. Well, just a years. skootch! _____

Sit!! Mooch!!! “…Real nice clambake” by S.W. Burkman _____

August, at the beach 2

later, we went Paris for a year, leaving True love Runt with a friend. On our return, he snubbed me for a while, but then running by Judy Rubin up, he wrapped all four legs around one Norm and I met in high school in of mine, and refused to let go for the rest 10th grade. Before long we were of the day. “going steady.” Unfortunately, _____ before I met him, I had committed to a job in Connecticut. We parted when I left in June with a big kiss Love story haiku and the words “See you in by Deidre Crumbley September.” During that summer, I received 48 letters from Norm that I Juniors at Temple still have. All ended with “P. S. I Fifty years apart—alas love you.” Seniors at Pennswood

On my finger, I’ve always worn a _____ ring with a double heart that Norm gave me sixty-five years ago. Our shared love of music

by George Kurz Every year we still celebrate the anniversary of our first date on On a Friday afternoon, I sat alone in our 11/23/55. I sign any card I give living room watching the Philadelphia Norm with the words “Love to ∞.” Orchestra play an all-Beethoven program at Version Hall. _____ As has been my reaction to music several

times in recent months, I was deeply Love in a small package moved, constantly thinking about by Jackie McClellan Elisabeth and the numerous concerts we attended there, sitting in the balcony Back in graduate school, we babysat facing the orchestra, holding hands and for our vacationing neighbor’s drinking in the music together. I was newborn kittens. When they overwhelmed with emotion, wishing so returned, we kept the runt of the much that we could again enjoy such litter. I loved him. James did not. concerts together. I cried and spoke out And Runt wasn’t very fond of him loud of my love for her and how either. Sneaking in after James was intensely I miss her. asleep, he would spend every night _____ curled up under my arm. Two years

Dante love loved me too, but that’s beside the point. by Nancy Vickers We quarreled, but that’s because we cared. 2021 marks the 700th anniversary of _____ Dante’s death. He and I have been together for over 50 years. We met Chemistry class by chance. A friend decided to audit by Jim McClellan a Dante class; I tagged along. Our professor entered an overflowing I saw her at a distance a few days after I classroom, sat down, opened the first arrived, forlorn, as a junior at Divine Comedy, and began to speak. Central Bucks. At the grand old age of He took our collective breath away. sixteen, I knew immediately and Literature changed. This soaring, instinctively that I loved her and wanted encyclopedic poem encompassed the her as my life partner. Perhaps it was her universe; it spoke the people’s profile or the curve of her hip. Something language; its recitation in medieval compelled me toward her, my perfect streets was manna to the illiterate. goddess. We first spoke at an after- Many of us never recovered. As I school study session for students reread it yet again, I am still interested in chemistry. I sidled up to her captivated . . . after all these years. at a lab bench. It was chemistry and much more from then on. ______

Love The bright red jacket by Doug Meaker By Martha (Dusty) Mulder

Robin and I married in 1958 and (Quoting the late Harry (Bud) Mulder remained married until her death in from a Trenton Times article.) 2019. I marveled at our 60 years. “Martha played the glockenspiel in the A thread running through this is that Trenton State Teachers College band. I our lives would affect but not govern played first trumpet, a position far from one another. A 1981 major spinal her. So I played badly to make the band operation left her crippled and fit leader put me at third trumpet — in front only for volunteer work. She drove a of Martha. She used to wear a bright red standard car daily to accomplish her jacket. It attracted me right from the activities. beginning. As soon as I was solid with Martha, I really cut loose and was back at My part was to provide support as first trumpet position in no time.” needed. After many years it sank in that I loved this woman. I think she

P.S. by Dusty: Once married, we Special delivery taught many years and had three sons by Nancy Miller — Richard, David, and Michael. AND I STILL HAVE THE BRIGHT My long driveway seemed to grow RED JACKET. longer as I made my daily trek to get my New York Times. Imagine my surprise _____ one morning when I found the paper right next to my garage. It was a mystery Winter’s Spoon repeated daily, and I was very grateful. by John Wood When a Christmas card was enclosed Especially now, with handled with the newspaper, I sent a card asking warming pans, why I was receiving this gift. This is the Down quilts and flannel sheets answer I received: “I saw you getting passé your mail and I noticed that you use a One calls on body heat to blunt the cane so I thought that you could use a north wind’s bite, hand.” For comfort to relax and sleep to _____ come. Tiny seeds to giant In this a younger you excelled sunflowers And still are a delight. by Lynne Waymon Spooner without equal, and in

spooning, A pot of corn chowder, some crusty Closing out the bitter winter’s night. French bread, a roaring February fire. I’m thinking, “This guy knows how to I am content, at peace, create a beautiful evening.” We’re As, side by side, warm bodies share thirty-somethings, dating only a few Cold noses, in rhythmic cadence, months. “My Burpee Seed Catalogue Breathing winter’s air. came today. Wanna look at it?” Todd asks. Crimson Sweet Watermelon, Red We lie and sleep there, cheek to jowl, Beefsteak Tomatoes, Tiger Eye Your muzzle on the pillow next to Sunflowers. Then he says, very mine, nonchalantly, “Let’s decide what we My close and selfless friend, my Lab, want to plant next summer.” Then he Who likes to spoon and spoons so looks over at me. He winks and we well, snuggle closer with anticipation. We Now that it’s winter time. know our love is growing. _____

Forty-three gardens later, Todd just help me with the driving. emailed in our Burpee seed order. To this day, she denies setting us up. I wonder. _____ We emailed all summer—kinda flirty. By the time we met again those three months Unconditional love later, fearful but happy, we knew. by Kathy Hoff _____ Summer weekday afternoons, I’d put Ben in the stroller, and we’d walk up Long and sweet to the head of the street to meet six- by Lydia Lewis year-old Ted where his day-camp bus dropped him off. One day, Ted got Our love story is long and sweet off the bus grouchier than usual and As George School students we did meet all along the way, as we walked Paul noticed me in Bancroft study hall home, kicked at my ankle. He thought I was cute—Tall Paul, he was “Why are you doing that?” I asked “my all” after he had succeeded in making Paul drove his parents’ Mercury on our contact. first date “Because I hate camp, and I know My parents said, “Do not be home late” you’ll love me anyway.” To Princeton movie theater we did go Returning home driving very slow _____ Before finishing college married we were The next several years were mostly a blur The big brown chair We raised two boys then travelled a lot by Alice Warshaw The Florida Keys is our favorite spot Now 61 years later and still holding hands Springtime, he and a friend visited On the same property we did land. me after our 60th high school reunion. As we chatted before dinner, he relaxed into my big brown comfy _____ chair—looking handsome and confident. He flew home to Florida Slippers the next day. by Elaine Ferrara

Our Vermont friend invited us both Every evening, shortly after getting into to visit that fall. I planned to drive up bed, I felt an invisible cat exploring my alone. She suggested he should fly calves. When the space was wide to Trenton instead of Burlington and 6

enough, shortly after I fell asleep, he A few of my favorite things took up residence between my legs, by Anne Baber staying until I began to stir. “I’m glad you enjoyed the warmth, The curtain going up. Butter-dripping Slippers!” I yelled, accusing him of lobster. Poems that make me cry. Cher theft. in Moonstruck. A new Sunday New York Times crossword. Little-known bits of He did this for fifteen years, until he history. Nora Jones singing “American transitioned out of this world. At Anthem.” Memories of theater-going in that point, I learned that what he was Nova Scotia. Ai chi in the Pennswood really doing was stealing my arthritis pool. Getting lost in Bucks County. All pain so that I could sleep better. my Dear Ones. The Kansas City Chiefs. And, what a thief he was! Slippers is Crimping the crust of a peach pie. The the love of my life! next book in a series—greeting the main _____ character as an old friend. Charleston gardens. The peppermint-stick forest at Lost love the Shady Brook light show. by David Cuff _____

A bright yellow scarf How I got a cat Left hanging at my camp site by Todd Waymon

Her name was Anna Our cats had died, so we went to Chester, Nova Scotia, “sans felines.” We planned When I read this, I feel pain, a to stay all summer and had “Get Cats” on yearning for love lost. But there was our to-do list. A neighbor suggested we no yellow scarf. No Anna. As in might try the vet uptown. We called, we many haiku, this image is imaginary. went, we saw kittens—lots of them, frolicking in a tiny room. All so cute! I’ve had only one serious love. In How to choose? I thought: I’ll go in and 1961, on our honeymoon, we camped sit down. Right away, a gray and white near Farnborough, England. And I kitten got in my lap, in my face, in my did leave behind, on a tree, a nearly- heart! Our Chester. We got one of his new pair of jeans. sisters, too. Petunia! _____

Maybe that yellow scarf is my lost blue jeans, bought in Calgary. And maybe Anna is the lost love I married there. Her name was Helen.

The cat’s meow around us, and unfolding within us, we by Chester Waymon understood that we were touched by grace. Ten of us in a room no bigger than a _____ closet. Can’t even take a decent nap or play. Nice of the vet to take us in, but no life for an amazing kitten like My only love me. Hey! Someone’s coming in. by Yoma Ullman Who’s this, sitting down on the floor? He’s looking us over. I take No heating in the dormitory, ice outside things into my own paws. I climb the windows, ice inside the windows, ice right up into his lap and get two on the slop pail, icy sheets. What is there inches from his face. “Hey, you look to love? My hot water bottle (wartle for like a very kind human. Let’s get short). On my stomach, between my feet, outta here and go have some fun. clutched in my arms, my only joy. I’ve Okay? You got tuna? How about I go knitted jackets for it, forgiven it for home with you forever?” leaking, cherished it with all my heart. My one and only love, my wartle. _____

For Bill: 1942-2012 by Lisa Taylor

“What do you think,” Bill asked, “about getting back together?”

My head was under the table; I was reaching for my napkin. It was 21 years since Bill drove away, leaving me and our three-year- old daughter. Bill was an active alcoholic then. _____ “Yes,” I said, sitting up. “Yes.”

And so began the great adventure of our lives.Together we drove away, heading always West. We stopped to rest in Taos, New Mexico, and never left. There, awed by the beauty

The big squeeze If I said, “Going to the studio,” he by Glenna Follmer followed. Loved to supervise when I hung laundry out. Tolerated eight-hour Kerry knew her story by heart, drives. Left artistically arranged bits of having heard her dad, Kurt, tell it mouse or rabbit on my bathmat, but many times. when he came in holding a wriggling snake by its middle, I put them both back How she was first named Jin Sul outside. Hee—“speaking hope”. He understood illness. Leaned on me How the agency paid two until I felt better. Eighteen years businessmen from Seoul to fly 6,000 together, gone nine years. Miss him miles with Kerry in a carrier on the every day. floor beside their polished shoes. _____ The deep How a uniformed lady fed her soy by Betty Aptaker formula and changed her diapers. I love the ocean. How her carry-on had a fluffy dress and Important Papers. I was born at the seashore and spent my childhood by the sea. My happiest How when the plane landed at memories are of playing on the beach Philadelphia International Airport on and splashing through the surf. The April 24, 1998, Kerry was placed in sound of crashing waves is music to my her parent’s arms. ears. Sunlight sparkling on the water — what a joy! Then—Kurt tells his favorite part— she grabbed his thumb and would I thrilled to the anticipation of watching a NOT let go. Love at first squeeze. giant wave rush to hit me and body surf me to the shore as much as I loved lying _____ back on the gentle “rollies” that waft me over the surface. Cat love of my life by Ann Maley Lakes, pools, and ponds do not call to me. No salt water there. Newly alone, went to animal shelter. _____ First one bit me. Picked up beautiful Norwegian Forest cat. Hooked paws over my shoulder and purred. Vet later said, “He chose you.”

Cookie making Not a love story, by Marguerite Chandler but a story I love by Steve Schnur It’s our first Christmas as a blended family: my new husband Richmond, My wife Deidre had mentioned to a dear his daughter Laura, and my two sons, relative by marriage, a White woman Mark and Adam. I suggest we make named Rainey Ragan, that she would be gingerbread men together. We mix passing through Phoenix Airport on her the dough, smelling the molasses, way to Los Angeles. Rainey lived in ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and Phoenix. Sadly, there would be no nutmeg. We’re ready to cut the opportunity for them to meet at all. That cookies, but I can’t find my cookie didn’t stop Rainey. Rainey would be cutter. Disappointment all around. there, on the other side of the glass, to Richmond finds his tin snips, takes a blow kisses to Deidre as she passed large tin can from the trash bin, and through the Baggage Claim area. And while we watch with great she was! anticipation, makes us a darling cookie cutter for our spicy, delicious Maybe this is a love story after all. gingerbread cookies. Amazing! _____ What a guy—he’s a keeper!

Lifesaving love by Carolyn Peters Michener

When I was working at Planned Parenthood as a nurse practitioner, one time I discovered a mass in a woman’s breast. I wrote the appropriate referrals and encouraged her to attend to it immediately. The next time I saw her, she pressed a small pink ribbon into my hand, saying, “Thank you for saving my life.” I cherish that ribbon. ______

Three chapters move so freely, following the whim of by Tish Plum the moment, and remain safe and secure? No passport, no checkpoints, abundant Chapter 1: June 15, 1998 fuel and food, and, services, as needed. 1 p.m. A beautiful day at an From sea to shining sea, the blessings of outdoor wedding. community and liberty are everywhere, 2 p.m. Seated by a dapper be it rural, urban, red state, or blue. But gentleman, 2 years widowed, as was not for all of us— Liberty’s bliss is still I. Super conversation. the privilege of being born male, fair- 3 p.m. Decided I’d like to skinned, and well-off. Civic love remains marry him someday. (Much later, he unrequited for many. admitted to feeling the same.) _____ Chapter 2: September 1998 Walking along a beautiful stream in Vermont in an area known Publication of for its green marble. Leaves aflame. Pennswood Village Residents Sun shining. Birds and butterflies. Association “Wait here,” he said, and picked Founder and Editor Emerita: something out of the brook— a Paulina Brownie Wilker small, green marble, heart-shaped Managing Editor: Anne Baber stone. He pressed it into my palm Contributing Editors: and tucked my fingers around it, Glenna Follmer, Kathy Hoff, “Here is my heart. Please take good Jane Perkinson, care of it.” Typist: Sarah Pollock, Proofreading: Sally Burkman Chapter 3: May 9, 2008. Married Distribution: Lisa Williams him. Layout: Dick Piccolini Contributors: End of story. All Pennswood Residents _____ Email your contributions to [email protected]

or place typed hard copy in our open Unrequited mail box. Past copies of the By Richmond Shreve Village Voices are in the Pennswood Library on shelf 21. You are welcome “I’d like to live here,” I’ve often to read them (and leave them) there. mused when first visiting a new place. Generosity, kindness, and the welcome of strangers charm me. Besides America, where can one