The Real Thing

Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

The Real Thing

Cecile and I have been friends since college, for more
than thirty years. Although we have never lived closer
than 100 miles to each other, since we first met, our
friendship has remained constant. We have seen each other
through marriage, birth, divorce, the death of loved ones,
all those times when you really need a friend.

In celebration of our friendship and our fiftieth
birthday, Cecile and I took our first road trip together.
We drove from my home in Texas to California and back.
What a wonderful time we had!

The first day of our trip ended in Santa Fe, New
Mexico. After the long drive, we were quite tired, so we
decided to go to the restaurant near the hotel for dinner.
We were seated in a rather quiet part of the dining room
with only a few other patrons. We ordered our food and
settled back to recount our day. As we talked, I glanced
at the other people in the room. I noticed an attractive
elderly couple sitting a short distance away from us. The
gentleman was rather tall and athletic looking, with silver
hair and a tanned complexion. The lady seated beside him
was petite, well-dressed and lovely. What caught my
immediate attention was the look of adoration on the
woman's face. She sat, chin resting gently on her hands,
and stared into the face of the man as he talked. She
reminded me of a teenager in love!

[Couple]

I called Cecile's attention to the couple. As we
watched, he reached over to place a gentle kiss on her
cheek. She smiled.
"Now that's what I call real love!" I said with a
sigh. "I imagine they've been married for a long time.
They look so in love!"
"Or maybe," remarked Cecile, "they haven't been
together long. It could be they've just fallen in love."
"Well, whatever the case, it's obvious they care a
great deal for each other. They are in love."

Cecile and I watched surreptitiously and unashamedly
eavesdropped on their conversation. He was explaining to
her about a new business investment he was considering and
asking her opinion. She smiled and agreed with whatever he
said. When the waitress came to take their order, he
ordered for her, reminding her that the veal was her
favorite. He caressed her hand as he talked, and she
listened raptly to his every word. We were enthralled by
the poignant scene we were witnessing.

Then the scene changed. A perplexed look came over
the finely wrinkled but beautiful face. She looked at the
man and said in a sweet voice, "Do I know you? What is
this place? Where are we?"
"Now, sweetheart, you know me. I'm Ralph, your
husband. And we're in Santa Fe. We are going to see our
son in Missouri tomorrow. Don't you remember?"
"Oh, I'm not sure. I seem to have forgotten," she
said quietly.
"That's okay, sweetheart. You'll be all right. Just
eat your dinner, and we'll go and get some rest." He
reached over and caressed her cheek. "You sure do look
pretty tonight."

Tears coursed down our cheeks as Cecile and I looked
at each other. "We were right," she said quietly. "It is
the real thing. That is love."

[Couple]

By Frankie Germany
From A Second Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul
by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,
Jennifer Read Hawthorne and Marci Shimoff.

Music "Moon Light Serenade"

Page hosted by Angelfire

[US Flag]