An Unforgetable New Years Eve

After reading an article about New Years Eve happenings, my thoughts went back to when Sanford first asked me for a date. It was 61 years ago.

Bill, one of the guys in the neighborhood had invited me to go with him to a local club on New Years Eve and not having a steady boy friend, I accepted. And guess who else was at that club? The man of my dreams!!

I would see Sanford when he visited friends who lived in the same building I lived. We always said hello. And whenever I saw him, I would rush to telephone my best friend Connie and tell her "I just saw him!!!! I just saw him!!!!" It had been love at first sight, even before I knew his name. Apparently it was love at first sight for him also.

When San saw me at the club that night, he came over to our table and said "If you're old enough to go to clubs, you're old enough to go out with me. When are you going out with me?" While Bill just sat there looking and listening... I said "When?" San replied, "Next week" and that was the beginning of our journey.

Let me explain why Sanford said 'you're old enough to go out with me '. At that time I was working for the New York Telephone Company. We were required to work split shifts and I worked something like 9 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm. I always carried a book to read while riding the subway to and from work. Because I looked so young and was always carrying the books, San assumed that I was still in high school... which would have made me too young to date him, a 24 year old WW2 veteran :-).

Sidney Poitier lived in the building next door to mine on Edgecomb Avenue... but he never noticed me. He appeared to be shy. He always walked close to the curb with his head down. That was before he became famous.