Everett and Ben went to Law School together. They studied for the Bar Exam together. They both passed the Bar Exam at the same time. Early in my marriage, I invited Everett and his wife Myrna for dinner. It was the first time I would be meeting them. In those early years of my marriage, I prided myself in my role as a hostess. I set an elegant table with my gold rimmed Rosenthal china, sparkling stemware and silver utensils. I don’t remember what I cooked, but it was all homemade and prepared with great effort.
I immediately liked Everett and immediately didn’t love Myrna. She had been a professional dancer and seemed “uppity” and “snooty.” More than sixty years have gone by, and Ben continued to meet with Everett for restaurant lunches or walks on Jones Beach. When Everett and Myrna moved to Florida, Ben continued to visit Everett there. I never joined.
Everett passed away last week at the age of 95. We attended the funeral on Long Island. Of course, I would never recognize Myrna, the dancer who now depended on a walker. When we entered the funeral chapel room, I sat alongside Myrna. She reached out and placed her hand on my shoulder. With sincere sadness in her voice she said, “I never reciprocated. You made a beautiful dinner and I never reciprocated. I feel terrible”
More than sixty years have gone by, and this is what Myrna recalls at her husband’s funeral.
Ethyl Haber
No comments:
Post a Comment