One year ago this past weekend my best friend lost her husband.
The last time that I saw Ginny smile was when she gave me my going away present last summer: A ticket to see Bon Jovi in concert with her. It was an amazing night. I was on the cusp of moving on to my new life and I got to share my excitement with one of the most important people to me. We sang badly, paid too much for drinks and made fun of all of the 40- and 50-something townies in the crowd. It was an awesome time.
The next day she got the news.
I’ll never forget the first day that I met James. It is a story that I often tell to people.(And I never let Ginny forget that it was the ONLY time that I have ever left a Red Sox-Yankees game before the final out.) I had been bugging her about her bad dating choices and she insisted that I simply HAD to meet the New Guy. He was different, she told me. She really, really liked him and would I please meet them at the Uno’s in Kenmore Square right after I finished working at the ballgame?
I’ll admit it; I was a bit suspect. But this was Ginny asking, so out I walked from Fenway with the Sox up against those damn Yankees in the 7th and I trudged over to Uno’s not particularly excited at meeting some dude who might well be gone in a month or two.
This trepidation lasted all of 2 minutes.
That first moment seeing James is seared into my memory. His eyes were bright, happy and full of life. He enthusiastically shook my hand, pumping strongly and said, “Hi Mike, I’m James. I’m so excited to meet you! Ginny’s told me all about you!”
Flattery will get you everywhere.
I remember that meal as the best that I ever had at that silly chain restaurant (and believe me, after a decade of working at Fenway I had a LOT of meals there). Had he been selling derivatives, I would’ve bought them. Go short on soybean futures? Whatever you say, dude. There was something about him…
The first moment that Ginny & I were alone, she asked me, “So? What do you think?”
“I like him,” I said. “You can date him.” I had a feeling.
If only I could be so very right about anything else in my life.
I must admit that I never got to know James as well as I would have liked over the years. Distance and life in Manhattan tend to limit opportunities. But I always enjoyed the time that we spent together, and I very much enjoyed seeing the smile on Ginny’s face whenever they were together, or whenever she talked about him.
I hope more than anything to see her smile like that again someday.
Fly Casual, James.
