I suppose just about everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. I remember when Kennedy got shot and the Challenger explosion. "Flashbulb Memories" of significant moments in our lifetime. And so it was on 9/11. I was at work, taking a phone call from a woman who wanted info about having her husband admitted to our nursing home.
I was giving her the details when, almost casually, she remarked, "Isn't it terrible about the airplane crashing into the building in New York?"
At first I thought she may have been confused or I wasn't hearing her quite right. "What plane?" I asked, immediately thinking " small plane."
Soon the Pre-Admissions staff were watching the horror on the big-screen TV in the lounge along with several residents. I couldn't believe what was happening. It changed my life forever.
Life really is too short. Hug your loved ones and tell them you love them every day.
My Manilow friend Vicki called me after 9/11. Manilow was playing Radio City Music Hall in the heart of Manhattan on February 8, 2002. Vicki was pitching in for a stretch limo to take her and three other female fans to the concert and back home. She had an extra ticket and asked if I wanted to go.
It was always special when Barry played his hometown. This show promised to be extra special after the tragedy at the World Trade Center only blocks away.
I said yes right away. It had been a while since I saw Manilow live and I began to get excited at the opportunity. Plus riding to New York and back with four women wasn't a bad deal.
There was only one hitch: Jill would be there.
Vicki and Jill hit it off when the latter was in America and they kept in touch all these years. Jill was going to be in New York City in February on business She wanted to see more of the city. September 11th touched her as it did everyone.She secured a ticket to the concert. The plan was to meet her at the show.
"You don't have to see her if you don't want to," Vicki reassured me. "But our tickets are all together. I hope you still want to go."
Why not? I didn't do anything wrong. I always treated Jill with love. Why should I deprive myself of a terrific time because of what happened ten years ago? Life was too short. I was over her but I did miss her letters.
It was freezing cold outside when the black limousine pulled into our driveway. I ventured out, all bundled up in winter attire: coat, sweater, gloves, you name it. Vicki was already in a good mood and may have been hitting the mini-bar in the limo. I knew the other three girls from the fan club. Husbands and boyfriends were home, babysitting or watching sports. We headed north as the purple dusk fell.
The girls talked Manilow,, laughing and having fun as we motored up the New Jersey Turnpike.. Our driver, a jovial guy named Tom, peppered the gang with questions about why we were going, why we liked Manilow, general small talk. He wasn't a fan and the girls got on him. How could you not like Barry? They were determined to convert him by the end of the trip. Vicki brought along a few Manilow CDs and blasted the music to the point where Tom had no choice but listen ( if he wanted a tip).
I pretty much stayed quiet, looking out the window. Vicki noticed how unusually passive I seemed, especially around her, and she looked at me and said ,"It's going to be OK."
I wondered what I would say to Jill after all this time and after what happened between us.
It was an emotional night, in more ways then one. 9/11 really hit home as we approached New York. Usually the first thing we would see were the Twin Towers looming in the distance The skyline wasn't the same, and neither was life. It was cold and it was winter and everything seemed so sad. Spring was so far away.
We waited to get into the Holland Tunnel. It was rush hour and traffic was bumper to bumper. The toll taker asked Tom "Got anybody important in there?"
"Nah," Tom replied. We got on him about that "I didn't mean it that way!" he said.
We slowly cruised pasted Times Square, the "crossroads of the world." It seemed smaller than it appears every New Year's Eve on TV. We saw the lights in the sky from the area where the World Trade Center used to be. They were working there, 24/7. Suddenly we stopped in front of one of the best hotels in Manhattan. I wondered if we had stopped because of traffic. I soon found out why.
Jill came bounding in, looking even more beautiful than before. I thought we were meeting her at the show but I guess Vicki felt we could pick her up on the way, since it was so bitter outside.
Jill sat across from me as Vicki introduced everyone. "And you know Greg, of course," she said, awkwardly. Jill smiled and I smiled back with a slight wave.
She wore all black- long coat, boots, gloves, which looked stunning with her shorter blond hair. She was approaching forty now but still looked like the beautiful young girl I first met in New York, which seemed like ages ago. My heart fluttered but I was under control. ( or so I told myself).
Radio City wasn't far from there. We took pictures in front of the iconic landmark. It was windy in the center of Manhattan, skyscrapers everywhere we looked. It was too early to go into the theater so we ducked into a small restaurant nearby to get out of the cold.
Most of us ordered $16 salads and a glass of wine. We toasted our night and looked forward to a great show together. I caught myself often glancing at Jill.
We had fantastic seats for the show, center and halfway up the theater. The concert was predictably emotional and yet fun, as Manilow tried to lift every one's spirit through music. His current song, "Turn The Radio Up" was a feel-good, upbeat tune about how "everything will be all right."
Near the end former President Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance on stage and accepted a $100,000 check from Barry to the relief fund for victim's families of 9/11. Manilow had graciously donated his earnings from the show to the cause.
I got into the limo first as Tom helped put the wheelchair in the trunk. It was strange how everyone else hung in the lobby of Radio City- all but Jill.
"May I join you?" she softly asked, opening the door.
"Sure. Get out of the cold. It's freezing!" I encouraged.
I'm sure Vicki had this all planned, to give Jill and I a few minutes alone to talk.
"Another limo," I said with a slight nervous laugh. "Wev'e got to stop meeting like this."
She sat next to me, suddenly giving me a warm hug and whispering "I'm so sorry, Greg."
"I should've wrote to you," I said after a quiet moment, my eyes misting. "But I didn't know what to say."
"I understand, " She replied." I'm glad you came. How's your Mom? And Peewee?"
" Mom is good. She had some health problems but she's good now. And we have a new dog named Louie."
"Tell everyone I said hi," she said, smiling.
"I will," I said, clearing my throat.
"I wanted to see you before..." her voice trailed off. She knew I had noticed her diamond engagement ring at dinner.
"I'm happy for you," I said, my hands slightly shaking, even though it was warm inside the limo.
"Thanks." She hugged me again. "I'll always love you and have a special place in my heart for you, " she whispered.
"Same here," I confided.
Just then Vicki knocked on the window. "Can we come in? It's damn cold out here and they kicked us out of the lobby!"
We dropped Jill off at her hotel, and she gave me a slight kiss on the cheek before she got out of the limo, disappearing into the New York City darkness. It would be the last time I ever saw her.
The ride home was quiet. We were all exhausted. Some of us were reflective.
I was the first one to be dropped off at home. It was around 2:00 a.m. and I was beat.
"Did you have fun? Vicki asked me.
"I did," I said. "Thanks for everything."Talk to you guys soon."
So what was I expecting/? Jill to fall into my arms and stay for good? Maybe. Or maybe we just needed closure. I really was happy for her. We could both move on with life now.
No comments:
Post a Comment