Stumble it!
May 3, 2007
Marathon Mom’s Airport Adventure
She irritated him the first time they met. They were both at the airport, sitting next to each other at the shoeshine stall. She carelessly set down her coffee, which spilled and splattered all over his new cell phone. She apologized, and he accepted but didn’t mean it.
Later they eyed each other warily across the terminal. She looked familiar to him, though he knew he’d never seen her before. He rose from his seat and stretched, then approached her.
“Are you related to Anne Glamore?” he inquired. “You look a lot like her.”
She wasn’t, but Marathon Mom was on her way to New York to help care for me after my spine surgery. She had never been to the city, and despite my assurances to the contrary, pictured muggers lurking in every shadowy doorway and rapists waiting to attack her as she took out the garbage. Nonetheless, she was willing to risk her life to help a friend in need.
He introduced himself as Chris. He told her that he’d grown up with Bill in Auburn, specialized in insurance, and had been working with us to coordinate our benefits for the out-of-state surgery.
There were surreptitious glances at left hands. She was going through a divorce, but still had on her wedding band. He’d been divorced for a while and wore no ring.
When Marathon Mom arrived in New York and told Bill and me about her encounter, we fell over ourselves (not literally– I was confined to bed) rhapsodizing about Chris’s outstanding qualities. When Bill wasn’t around, I waxed poetic about Chris’s impressive swimmer’s build and outstanding hair. Marathon Mom was flustered and began furiously scrubbing the floors.
Bill’s mom called later to check on my post-operative progress. He told her the “what a small world story” of one of my best friends meeting Chris, one of his best friends, at the airport.
While Marathon Mom nursed me back to health, Chris had a disagreeable evening. He flew to Florida for business and ended up in an impersonal hotel. An hour later he was sitting dejectedly on the sofa, alone in his boxers, drinking scotch and channel surfing. Although he attempted to blow-dry it, his cell phone resolutely refused to work. His young son would already be in bed. He grimaced, and decided it was worth paying the hotel’s outrageous surcharges to reach out and touch the only person he could think of to call: his mom.
Chris’s mom listened while he moaned about his shitty day and the broken cell phone. She was usually sympathetic, so he was surprised to hear her say, “It doesn’t sound like that bad a day to me. Didn’t you meet a girl in the airport?”
He stammered his assent, and said, “Mom, she was wearing a wedding ring. And how did you know?”
“I just got back from a scrapbooking workshop and Bill’s mom was there. She says that girl won’t be wearing a ring much longer!” his mom trilled. “I can’t wait to meet her!”
Their first date was not a huge success. Marathon Mom had come down from her initial dating high and was freaked out about the fact that she was divorced and single. She was cold and distant. Chris felt rebuffed.
Months passed. Marathon Mom went on other dates, some of which were so atrocious that we snicker about them to this very day when she is not around. Chris was thrust into the background.
True love eluded Marathon Mom.
It’s been said that history is just fables that have been agreed upon. Every couple has a right to establish the milestones of their romance any way they desire. Marathon Mom and Chris decreed that their genuine first date took place many months after the pseudo-first date referenced above. This first date played like a cheesy chick flick. He took her to dinner and they talked for hours.
Just before she ran her first marathon, he gave her an encouraging card and a gift certificate for a massage. A couple of weeks later they went to lunch and he brought her favorite cupcakes with homemade buttercream icing. There were three inside the box, one for her and one for each of her two children.
One thing led to another, and then there was this.
Best wishes to the new family!
Posted by Anne Glamore @ 7:49 am • Googly Eyes: Make Love Not War, Tiny Kingdom Exclusive Stumble it!
Stumble it!
RSS feed for comments on this post.
TrackBack URI
May 3rd, 2007 at 8:14 am, Sandra Says:
That is such a cool story! I love how the moms got involved. I truly love how they could get past the first pseudo-date, and really see what each other was. Very cool.
May 3rd, 2007 at 8:39 am, Melina Says:
Oh that is so sweet, almost sounds like a fairy tale, Good for them, gives me hope!!!
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:30 am, Clearlykels Says:
Oh! I LOVED this story! Thanks for sharing their story with us. Oh, and I loved the part about how his mom said he met someone at the airport. That is so something that has happened to me.
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:37 am, alala Says:
AWWWW… That is really really cute.
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:28 am, Leeny Says:
That was nice! I dated for awhile back in the 90’s in between marriages. I wasn’t crazy about it. I was more nervous for some reason than when I was younger and dating.
May 3rd, 2007 at 12:31 pm, Joy Says:
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
“They call it puppy luuuuv…” Teehee snicker snicker.
May 3rd, 2007 at 12:49 pm, Karin B Says:
I loved the way you wrote it.
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:28 pm, Alicia Says:
Oh, how wonderful!!! Thank you for sharing. Sometimes it really is fate.
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:48 pm, Karyn Says:
Damn it Glamore, I’m trying to stay cynical and edgy and here you come with a heartwarming tale of serendipity and fate and goodness and cupcakes.
Sheesh.
May 4th, 2007 at 6:19 am, Charro Says:
That is the sweetest story !!! Thanks for sharing.
May 4th, 2007 at 5:58 pm, livin in LV Says:
I have been reading your posts for a few years now and love the blog! This is such a great story! Good Luck to the new family.
May 4th, 2007 at 6:33 pm, Phx Butterfly Says:
What a cute story. Nice way to kick off a Friday evening. You never know where you might meet that special one. I met my husband on an airplane and he even brags he got a date with me even with my Mother sitting between us. Course back in that day there wasn’t an internet for a wonderful friend like you to share the story to. Am sure Marathon Mom and Chris appreciate your tribute.
May 4th, 2007 at 7:01 pm, talentedgirl Says:
What a lovely story to tell. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy (that could also be the second glass of wine), off I go to appreciate that love really does triumph in the end.
May 5th, 2007 at 6:05 pm, liz Says:
Ohhh, that is so sweet!
May 6th, 2007 at 12:27 am, LadyTerri Says:
I absolutely loved this story!!
May 7th, 2007 at 6:35 am, Pinks & Blues Girls Says:
What a great story! So adorable! I’m a sucker for love stories…
Jane, Pinks & Blues Girls
May 8th, 2007 at 6:48 am, One Tough Momma Says:
AWWWWW!
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:39 am, My Tiny Kingdom » Feathers Friday: Lend Me A Hand Says:
[...] year ago in My Tiny Kingdom: Marathon Mom’s Airport Adventure Posted by Anne Glamore @ 11:39 am • Animal Stunts [...]