A true love story.
Between a military man and a hippie chick.
Finding true love when you least expect it, after many tries, and at an age when most give up on it.
She was a true flower child of the late '60s. He a lifer in the Air Force. She was an artist, painter, sculptor, musician, free and open with her emotions. He was a a technician, a mechanical genius who could fix anything, one the military had ground down to stubbornness. She was lithe in long flowing skirts of bright colors. He was of medium build but strong, and favored jeans and flannel.
Both had been married before. She had 2 children named Freedom and Paix. He was childless, divorced 3 times. She taught art and music in public schools. He was ground crew on bombers at 17. They both thought they had become self sustainable, grown into it, not at all looking for love.
I had met her first, at the local library. She had eyes that lit up the room, and a sexy sway to her hips as she walked. Then at 68, she was funny, confident in her body, and quick with a hug. A hippie that had never become jaded or cynical. You knew she had words that could cut, but seldom used them. She would kick off her shoes at the first opportunity, and danced barefoot.
We had coffee a few times, and she invited me over to her house for dinner. But no spark flew between us. We remained close friends. Her house was an art supply cabinet that had exploded. 2 dozen ongoing art projects littered the place. Not dirty, but extremely cluttered in a good way. Her adult children were slightly appalled by this, but she didn't give a fuck. "Not my job anymore" she replied.
One day the house next door to hers sold, and a lone elder man moved in. He was done moving, and wanted a small house to fix up and live out his life content at being alone. Much latter he would tell anyone and everyone, that soon after getting unpacked, and setteled in, he was cutting the grass at the side of his house and looking over the top of the fence. He saw her picking flowers in her yard. Thunderstruck ! He could not stop staring. He tells it that at that moment he knew. His universe had changed.
I heard about this a couple of months later when she called me on the phone to tell me about her strange new neighbor who she kind of liked, but felt she didn't have time for. Yet he was kind and gracious and maybe a little too persistent. She asked if I could meet him, sort of check him out, and let her know. So A dinner was arranged at a nice restaurant.
This went very well, He was indeed charming, with an old-fashioned graciousness that one rarely sees today. He took off his hat as we entered, and shook hands with the maître d'. Oh he knew exactly what was going on. And decide to be direct and to the point, we all talked and ate. And had a wonderful time. My first impression was that he was solid as stone, and honest to a fault. With a hint of self deprecating humor. She was clearly captivated. The fact that he was ten years her senior never came up. And in watching him he seemed much younger and healthier than his numerical age would presume.
As he tells it now, he had developed a plan, he had fallen hard in love for the first time in his long life, and was not going to be deterred. So he set out to woo her. Whatever it took. And so it went. He was very patient, not pushy, and kind of formal in his pursuit. Of course she knew what was what, and soaked up the attention. In truth he didn't have far to go. She was already falling for him. Yet remained cautious. Having been badly hurt before. This went on for months.
He and I hung out on and off. And it turned out that we had a lot of similar life experiences. I liked him. When we were together he never spoke of her, or his feelings. But when the three of us were together, there was a glowing neon sign above my head that read 'third man out'. I knew this as did anyone that met us. He was spending more and more time at her house, and spontaneously fixing it up, neglecting his own. She encouraged this. It was becoming obvious to friends and family.
When they announced that he was moving in, and selling his place. It wasn't a surprise exactly, but still from the outside a bit of a shock. They had lived completely different lives. He was still a military man in his baring, and outlook. She was still the hippie chick barefoot in the garden. But they became inseparable, always holding hands, always politely affectionate to each other. After his move, he became more open to talk about his feelings to me, as we drove around doing errands. He was absolutely, totally in love, and when alone with her she confessed the same to me.
As the years went on this love only grew. Flourishing. Deepening into something so tangible that strangers remarked about it. They glowed within it. These years rolled on
Yet age will take its toll. First his diabetes got worse. Then his falls, and the broken bones. Next his heart, and bed rest. Then her eyes started to go, macular degeneration. These were tough years for us on the outside trying to help when they would let us. Through all this they steadfastly clung to each other. Each giving strength to the other when needed. When her eyesight finally failed, and his strength and stamina could not keep up. We got them household help.
These last few years were hard, now blind she withdrew into herself, unable to create the art that sustained her. And now physically, unable to tinker he also became more stubborn. But still he took care of her every day. Even putting his own health at risk to do so.
We all thought he would pass before her, but then her diagnosis of dementia hit everyone like a hammer blow. She was now mentally withdrawn a lot of the time. And he grew desperate and a bit crazy. Refusing to give her into professional care. We pleaded with him, but he was not going to let her go, now that he had only 18 years with her.
I got the news that she had taken a major turn for the worse. She is at home, with hospice care. Not eating, very low blood pressure, in and out of consciousness. Hospice worker said it looks like multiple organ failure. He is being stoic, but hurting bad. She could pass at any moment.
She passed last night at home in her own bed. Content and in love. He was lying beside her, hand in hand. Also still in love.
❤️
Between a military man and a hippie chick.
Finding true love when you least expect it, after many tries, and at an age when most give up on it.
She was a true flower child of the late '60s. He a lifer in the Air Force. She was an artist, painter, sculptor, musician, free and open with her emotions. He was a a technician, a mechanical genius who could fix anything, one the military had ground down to stubbornness. She was lithe in long flowing skirts of bright colors. He was of medium build but strong, and favored jeans and flannel.
Both had been married before. She had 2 children named Freedom and Paix. He was childless, divorced 3 times. She taught art and music in public schools. He was ground crew on bombers at 17. They both thought they had become self sustainable, grown into it, not at all looking for love.
I had met her first, at the local library. She had eyes that lit up the room, and a sexy sway to her hips as she walked. Then at 68, she was funny, confident in her body, and quick with a hug. A hippie that had never become jaded or cynical. You knew she had words that could cut, but seldom used them. She would kick off her shoes at the first opportunity, and danced barefoot.
We had coffee a few times, and she invited me over to her house for dinner. But no spark flew between us. We remained close friends. Her house was an art supply cabinet that had exploded. 2 dozen ongoing art projects littered the place. Not dirty, but extremely cluttered in a good way. Her adult children were slightly appalled by this, but she didn't give a fuck. "Not my job anymore" she replied.
One day the house next door to hers sold, and a lone elder man moved in. He was done moving, and wanted a small house to fix up and live out his life content at being alone. Much latter he would tell anyone and everyone, that soon after getting unpacked, and setteled in, he was cutting the grass at the side of his house and looking over the top of the fence. He saw her picking flowers in her yard. Thunderstruck ! He could not stop staring. He tells it that at that moment he knew. His universe had changed.
I heard about this a couple of months later when she called me on the phone to tell me about her strange new neighbor who she kind of liked, but felt she didn't have time for. Yet he was kind and gracious and maybe a little too persistent. She asked if I could meet him, sort of check him out, and let her know. So A dinner was arranged at a nice restaurant.
This went very well, He was indeed charming, with an old-fashioned graciousness that one rarely sees today. He took off his hat as we entered, and shook hands with the maître d'. Oh he knew exactly what was going on. And decide to be direct and to the point, we all talked and ate. And had a wonderful time. My first impression was that he was solid as stone, and honest to a fault. With a hint of self deprecating humor. She was clearly captivated. The fact that he was ten years her senior never came up. And in watching him he seemed much younger and healthier than his numerical age would presume.
As he tells it now, he had developed a plan, he had fallen hard in love for the first time in his long life, and was not going to be deterred. So he set out to woo her. Whatever it took. And so it went. He was very patient, not pushy, and kind of formal in his pursuit. Of course she knew what was what, and soaked up the attention. In truth he didn't have far to go. She was already falling for him. Yet remained cautious. Having been badly hurt before. This went on for months.
He and I hung out on and off. And it turned out that we had a lot of similar life experiences. I liked him. When we were together he never spoke of her, or his feelings. But when the three of us were together, there was a glowing neon sign above my head that read 'third man out'. I knew this as did anyone that met us. He was spending more and more time at her house, and spontaneously fixing it up, neglecting his own. She encouraged this. It was becoming obvious to friends and family.
When they announced that he was moving in, and selling his place. It wasn't a surprise exactly, but still from the outside a bit of a shock. They had lived completely different lives. He was still a military man in his baring, and outlook. She was still the hippie chick barefoot in the garden. But they became inseparable, always holding hands, always politely affectionate to each other. After his move, he became more open to talk about his feelings to me, as we drove around doing errands. He was absolutely, totally in love, and when alone with her she confessed the same to me.
As the years went on this love only grew. Flourishing. Deepening into something so tangible that strangers remarked about it. They glowed within it. These years rolled on
Yet age will take its toll. First his diabetes got worse. Then his falls, and the broken bones. Next his heart, and bed rest. Then her eyes started to go, macular degeneration. These were tough years for us on the outside trying to help when they would let us. Through all this they steadfastly clung to each other. Each giving strength to the other when needed. When her eyesight finally failed, and his strength and stamina could not keep up. We got them household help.
These last few years were hard, now blind she withdrew into herself, unable to create the art that sustained her. And now physically, unable to tinker he also became more stubborn. But still he took care of her every day. Even putting his own health at risk to do so.
We all thought he would pass before her, but then her diagnosis of dementia hit everyone like a hammer blow. She was now mentally withdrawn a lot of the time. And he grew desperate and a bit crazy. Refusing to give her into professional care. We pleaded with him, but he was not going to let her go, now that he had only 18 years with her.
I got the news that she had taken a major turn for the worse. She is at home, with hospice care. Not eating, very low blood pressure, in and out of consciousness. Hospice worker said it looks like multiple organ failure. He is being stoic, but hurting bad. She could pass at any moment.
She passed last night at home in her own bed. Content and in love. He was lying beside her, hand in hand. Also still in love.
❤️