Family of One Celebrates a 60th Wedding Anniversary

Even though I have just returned from New York where I had a four star dining experience at Eleven Madison Park which I am eager to share along with many other urban adventures, it hit me today that I really need to speak about my upcoming weekend.

I am leaving tomorrow to fly to High Point to celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of my parents who were married on September 11, 1949 in a lovely ceremony. As you know, my parents are still in their home and still very engaged in the world around them including, but not limited to, watching Tar Heel sporting events, asking me how my sales are, and casting aspersions on President Obama.

Several months ago, I asked them how they would like to celebrate the day and offered them a plethora of choices including a party at a local club, a dinner at a local bistro, any number of friends they wanted, a day trip somewhere. They were not keen on any of the above. As Mother put it, “we don’t know from one day to the next if we’ll even be here, so let’s not get carried away with plans”. Her suggestion—put out locally made chocolate layer cake in her three different dining areas, invite in folks, and let them have at the cakes.

This idea was later ixnayed because Mother felt that she would be sure to forget someone and there could be hurt feelings and testy exchanges.

Our plan is for me to spend an entire weekend in their company and, hopefully, journey to a variety of local eateries including Rainbow Diner, Spyros on South Main, and Carolina Diner. This sounds wonderful to me not only because they are both able to enjoy these places, but because they all serve fabulous fried shrimp which is very hard to obtain in the greater Miami area. We will not be going to IHOP because we went there last month and Mother was apoplectic because the bill was $30 for the three of us. I am taking the new Pat Conroy book to enjoy on their lovely back porch and look forward to some reading time as well as reminiscing with Mother and Dad.

I was having a hard time coming up with an appropriate gift for them. For their 50th anniversary, G and I took then to Wild Dunes for a week at Christmas where we had rented a beach house out of some fabulous chick flick. I was still pondering the gift when I went to NYC last week. I took along with me a very charming picture of them as newlyweds. I ventured into Tiffany’s on Saturday afternoon which resembled a ride at Disney World more than it did a scene out of a Blake Edwards film.

The gift department had a calmer ambience, so I selected an Art Deco frame and the lovely assistant placed in into the frame for me. I had barely glanced at the price, so when she handed me the bill, I was a bit taken aback. I quickly computed that I could buy my parents two TV sets or several iPods or, well, you get the picture (no pun intended).

I took a deep breath and looked out the window which had a perfect view of the Plaza Hotel with Central Park in the background. It was a lovely September day. I thought about how very fortunate I was to be standing there in a city that I love so dearly and looking forward to seeing both my parents on such a special day. I acknowledged to myself that there would have been a time that I would have practically thrown myself on the floor at Tiffany’s because I would be journeying to High Point alone, without a mate, and worrying about how we had no family with which to celebrate.

And, then, I smiled my biggest smile and said, “I am so thrilled to have found the perfect gift”. There were hugs all around and I departed in a cloud of goodwill.

I really don’t know what Mother will think of the gift. I think she will be amused that Ms. Astorbilt (as she refers to me) shopped at Tiffany’s for her. But, the day that I bought the frame will be a wonderful memory for me and that is worth a lot.

And, now, it's time to celebrate the fact that 60 years ago, a wedding took place between a young woman who had the clever idea to untie the bow on the sleeve of her dress and ask a certain young pharmacist if he would mind retying it for her. Yes, that is how their first date happened--when Mother walked into Dad's drugstore with an untied bow.