George

During the summer of 1971, I went to an Al-Anon meeting at the Honesty House in Summit, New Jersey. This meeting was held in a building, sort of like a gym, with bleachers. I saw George, who I knew from other meetings and Alateen, sitting on the top bleacher. There was something about him that made me ask him out to a diner for coffee after that meeting. His words of wisdom and the sensitivity coming out of his mouth attracted me. This coffee date was the start of our affair and our life together.

George was married to someone else and so was I. I didn’t even think about feeling guilty. It was exciting. At that point, I wasn’t aware of what love was. I knew my relationship with George was very different from the one I had with my husband. He was so different from me. George was like a professor who talked academically and I was the go-go dancer. 

When I met George I was no longer dancing professionally. I told him everything about my past which included how much I loved to dance. He was accepting and never jealous. He enjoyed watching me dance.

It was so right and good with George. I wasn't aware then that we were building this long term relationship. It grew into a more than forty-five year marriage. The magical feeling of George’s kiss is still there for me, even in my 80’s, and will be until the day one of us dies.