Getting Carded

Blue eyes and being the eldest, or only, son were among the preferred characteristics. He easily qualified with his enviable eye color and single son status. Brilliant test scores completed the package and soon he was training to be an Air Force pilot. The fulfillment of yet another personal goal.

My Renaissance man husband brims with an impressive array of interests. Family, friends, finance, music, cars,



motorcycles,



board games, coins and paper money, travel (preferably to Manhattan) and sports (especially his beloved Yankees) are among his favorites. His unstinting positive attitude inspires others and is a lifetime mantra regardless of any difficulties encountered.

Born in Manhattan during the baby boom explosion, Henry entered the world with an absent father. Dad Maurice started a brand new job with the State of New York on his son's natal day, making his temporary nonappearance in the maternity ward
totally understandable.


(8 months old, 25 pounds, 4 ounces)

Sister Carol, five years the elder, established a permanent bond with her new sibling and that endearing relationship flourishes decades later. During her recent visit to our house, the twosome re-told family stories. None of us ever tire of hearing about the 'knife' incident which Carol insists involved a harmless butter knife.



Living with Henry these past thirty-five years has been exhilarating. He is consistently enthusiastic about so many ideas, concepts, notions. Endlessly curious, he's fascinated by all that is new, except for food that happens to be green. With a near-perfect memory, he shares what he's read or observed with acute precision. Mention a topic and he has an opinion, well-founded in fact and logically presented.

There's not a day when many hours pass without some musical interlude. Utilizing thousands of pages of accumulated sheet music, with more available via the Internet, he'll spend the rest of his life honing his musical skills and accompanying himself vocally. My very own private radio station. From time to time, he stops and recounts the history of a particular piece, its composer, the solo performer or group that made it famous. I'm partial to songs from the '50's and 60's as well as show tunes. His repertoire contains more than enough for me to absorb. We supplement his renditions by attending concerts and musicals whenever possible. The Beach Boys are on our horizon for late May. Nostalgia for our youth.

When there are no notes to be heard or lyrics emanating from his office, it often means that he's dispensing critical financial advice in person, on the phone or via e-mail. Maybe he's in negotiations with a car dealership to buy new wheels for some acquaintance or more importantly, our daughter. His ability to obtain the very best price for a very desirable car is legendary.

No project is too daunting for his inquisitive mind. Think of something, mention it to him, and the next thing you know, he's found a supplier, located a great air fare, or made a reservation. One must be careful what one wishes for, as successful fruition is almost certain once Henry becomes involved.

As a man who is self-contained, he can spend hours expanding his mind and not regret for one second that he's hardly left his office. Though he warmly welcomes family and friends to his space, he can also be alone very comfortably.

This year there's a special birthday. The celebratory number chosen by some governmental official for reasons unknown to me but probably lodged somewhere in Henry's vast store of knowledge. You see, he's getting carded. Medicare, that is. The card itself, produced on flimsy paper, arrived months ago. Typical of Henry's organized nature, he had it laminated for longevity. In just eight days, he can use it for medical visits, lab tests and other health-related issues. As a very healthy sixty-something, the card is likely to languish in his wallet.

When we met, Henry was a youthful twenty-nine. Today he exhibits a still luminous personality with cerulean eyes dancing and massive intellect always ablaze. His hair has transformed to a lovely silver shade that's very becoming. Contentment seeps through his being as he relishes the prolific pleasures of retirement.

In honor of this particular birthday and our thirty-five years of marriage, we're embarking upon an ambitious European sojourn, culminating with five days in New York. Appropriately, we'll spend the birthday evening with Carol and her husband Steve, suffused by the brilliance of George Gershwin's immortal Porgy and Bess.

Happy early birthday, dear Henry.