July 12, 2004
Okay, weddings are back
This wedding was just too sweet to ignore, although I think I had promised to focus elsewhere. Florenz Greenberg, 74, and Hy Eisman, 77, are the featured couple in the New York Times Wedding Section this week.
These are not inactive folk. Mr. Eisman draws Popeye . Ms. Greenberg is a the managing editor at CavanKerry Press , a literary publisher of such poets as Celia Bland .
A bereavement counselor Hy had been seeing after the loss of his wife of forty two years, realizing that he was ready to socialize again, assigned him to strike up a conversation with a stranger. Hy, to his credit, did not seek out a gum-snapping-ditty-bop. He spotted the beautifully mature Florenz (aka Florence) in the How-To section of the library, and she, subsequenty, showed him. At the time she was looking for tips on writing, maybe for one of her authors, or perhaps she was going to try her hand at it herself. No use speculating.
Anyway the shy Hy froze after a few words and fled, handing Florenz his card. Possibly using the How-To sections again, Florenz googled him on the library computer. Good for her. She was thrilled to have retrieved some results on her first google quest, and, I'm sure, also thrilled to have discovered that he wasn't just any old masher . She phoned Hy in an exuberant mood, having managed the computer so well. He mistook her triumph for enthusiam for himself, but then again, enthusiasm is contagious. They really hit it off , moved in together, and made it to the big time in the Section. In one of his interviews, Hy says Florenz gave him back his life for which he is most grateful. When love comes at an advanced age, it is most precious, because the participants have the wisdom to fully appreciate the phenomenon.
And what are the lessons for us all in this? Keep your eyes open for possibilites , since they are everywhere, take a risk to make contact, even if you feel shy , it's never too late, and keep your google profile clean.
Elsewhere in the section: Charles Grandy was married to Sage Davis. Adorable couple. What is noteworthy about the announcement is the groom's father's fascinating career path. His dad , Fred Grandy ,who is now a morning news host, was a Republican (he was David Eisenhower's roommate at Exeter, back when Republicans were noble gentlemen, not fundamentalist kissing corporate brownies, pardon moi) congressman from Sioux City, Iowa from 1989 to 1995, prior to which, heplayed "Gopher" on the "Love Boat" for nine years. The groom's mom is a Presbyterian minister. They're divorced. She's now married to Seamus Malin but proved ungoogleable herself.
Last week, Jonathan (psychologist, novelist) and Fay (theoretical mathematician, dentist and novelist) Kellerman's son Jesse married Gabriella Rosen. Their son is a playwright - one of their four children. Where do people find the time?
Photo note: I thought this was a good photo for a late in life wedding-- both light, white, vertical and lacy, yet prettily yellowed with age, complex and shadowed.
Posted by Dakota at July 12, 2004 10:12 PM