Digital Rabbit Hole

That’s me in the heels, blonde flip hair -do and 1961 very dark sunglasses next to my Grandmother, her traveling partner(in pearls) and her granddaughter (Candy…also in cool sunglasses)
The SS Independence June, 1961- Bon Voyage!!

Television series have been built around this romantic scenario (“The Love Boat”) Falling in love on board ship I think might be wandering around in the back of most minds as they set sail for a week cruise across the ocean. In my case I was the lucky recipient, from my grandmother of a three-month long trip by land and sea for my 8th grade graduation.  In this picture we are leaving New York, heading for Algeciras Spain, to meet our driver and car and begin a trek through, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, England and Scotland and then home on the Queen Mary that left from South Hampton in England.
The first night out to sea they made a “Get-to-know-you dance”  for all the young people on board..I think from 13-18 years old. Both Candy (the other granddaughter) and I were 14 and we nervously went to the dance to be social. I admit now, I did not want to go…..but if I hadn’t gone, I would not have met my “shipboard romance

“This is the exact moment we met!! The woman behind Michael F.’s shoulder was the social director and had just brought us together and introduced us….and the rest is HISTORY!!
Michael F. looked so handsome in his white tuxedo and bow tie and  I had a modest but pretty party dress on with my Grandmother’s pearls..because PEARLS Were IN:)
We talked for a bit and he invited me to sit at a table with him. In our brief chat I learned he was from a big Italian family in Riverdale New York and was there with 4 older brothers all in white tux and his mother and father.. It was love at first site..I was swept off my feet. ❤️

We watched a show, drank coke after coke and then we danced and danced and danced. By the time my grandmother had reeled me in to go back to our cabin and sleep, we had exchanged cabin numbers he called me and under the covers. whispering about everything under the sun, we talked until 2am when his older brothers got back.

By the second day, we spent all our free time together and I would say, had both officially fallen in love:) My travel companion, Candy did not have the same luck and so it was awkward at times to share the cabin with her. I felt bad and he tried to set her up with another 14 year old he met.,..but alas… it wasn’t meant to be.

By the time we had to say goodbye, we were committed to see each other somehow, someway again. We both cried when his family got off at Sicily and promised to write letters to each other the whole time(which we did) We exchanged itineraries and there was always a letter waiting for me when we arrived at our next destination. The days of snai-lmail were sooo romantic. No phones, no texting just driving and then pouncing on the concierge in the next hotel and asking, “Is there any mail for me?”:

But this story doesn’t end here.
I always visited my Aunt and Uncle and two cousins once a year in New York. My mother talked to his family and they invited me to spend Thanksgiving weekend with them all at their home in Riverdale.
Here we are, on dry land, both 15, Thanksgiving 1962 in New York. This romance did not die on board ship and actually it lasted 3 more years until….I ran away from home in 1965 and we lost touch.

I think at one time we might have contemplated marrying when he finished school but we didn’t get that far. Still I treasure the memories, the amazing trip my Grandma Verona had given to me, and the opportunity to dream and “fall in love” all so innocently for so many years.

Look at us..all grown up 17 years old, Thanksgiving 1964. This was the last time we ever saw each other and it was a wonderful trip, but by then I think we both knew it would in some way come to its end.

I lost touch with him and although I think we talked once when I was living in Hollywood, we went our separate paths/ I would love to be in touch again, just to thank him for this fairy-tale
Shipboard Romance.  So See?? it does happen..It could happen to you..at any age:)