The Second Time Around....

by Zenobia L Silas Carson
(Minnesota)

In April, or shall I say last month, I had my first opportunity to travel back to my home state of Illinois. I was born and raised in Chicago and have only come back every few years for funerals and other not so happy occasions.

I was married there ( widowed now) and all but two of the six children were born there.
I have traveled by bus and plane but never got a chance to ride the train, so I decided on it and whoosh! I was off.

Two major goals were to see two old classmates. One was from my fourth grade class..a girl ( we are always girls) named Karen and the other was to see a man who has been in and out of my life for many years..in fact since we were 14 (me) and 16 (him, of course).

I know there is not space to tell a whole love story, but when we were teens, our parents were not happy at our budding romance, so they put the hammer down on it. In my twenties and fresh OUT of my marriage...HIS parents did not think it was wise to take on the children of another man and try to parent them, so they put the kibash on it again.

Later, when I was stressed in a particular situation he came to my rescue once more. In fact, he did not marry until he was in his late forties. I never forgot him and never stopped loving him and thinking of him.

Well, in the last few years, we have stayed in touch. Right after his wife died in 2001 and all through his cancer a couple of years back. He is now in remission. We talk and talk and talk....Me, about my published books and writing stuff and he, about his concerts (he is a concert pianist, composer, etc) but we have not been face to face since the late 1980's.

When he met me at the train station, I was amazed that we could see how much we have aged, but our enthusiasm as the girl and boy of so long ago, made us look young. He touched my face and held me close and since I was staying with him, he lavished me with not allowing me to lift a finger. Treated me like a queen!

Now, in about two weeks, he will make the trip to Minnesota and beyond that...and the phone calls we make weekly...we just do not know, but jeepers, Frank Sinatra was correct...it IS lovelier...the second time around!

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Wendy: Just WOWWWWW! Wishing you the very best life has to offer,...

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