COUPLES

This morning at the lecture

I watched couples as they strolled in

found a seat

drank their coffee

shared a donut

all so normal and ordinary.

I wondered if they know

how fortunate they are

to have each other on this winter morning

or

do they take it all for granted

chalk it up to only eating an occasional donut

good genes

good luck

good God!

The lecture is about humor

we laughed a lot

even mocked the dark disease

that came to take her away

it gave us strength

then she was gone

and here I am—alone—

at this lecture

with all these damn couples.

John A. Bayerl, January 27, 2012

It's not always bad being around couples.  Last night was a case in point.  I had a ticket to the Ann Arbor Folk Festival.. Tonight I have two tickets and have asked a good friend to accompany me.   

Back to last night.  This was going to be a new experience for me, so I arrived plenty early, parked the car across the street from the auditorium, and found my seat.  I remembered being in that auditorium when we first moved to Ann Arbor.  The occasion was a concert by new young singer named John Denver.  Then, I sat alone for a while, and the blues kind of settled in--I couldn't help but wish with all my heart that Gwen was sitting in the seat next to me, as she had done so many times in the past.  

A couple, a few years younger than I came in and took the two seats next to me.  I leaned over and shook hand with the guy:  "Hi, I'm John.  Hi, I'm Jim."  His wife finished taking off her coat and sat in the seat next to me. I haven't forgotten my manners.  I shook her hand; "Hi, I'm John."  She had a firm handshake; "Hi," she said, "my name is Gwen."   There was something about hearing that name spoken out loud that moved me deeply, even now, on Saturday afternoon, as I type these words my eyes tear up.   I kept my composure, and said, "Oh, that was my wife's name, that makes you pretty special."   They were a lovely couple, and the conversation that followed was delightful too.  The Gwen sitting next to me was every bit as charming as her namesake.  When she told me that she was a retired accountant I knew that my Gwen was messing with me; she had been an accountant the year before we married.  Call it what you will, there are no coincidences.  

During an intermission I met a friend who was working as a volunteer usher, and I had worked with him as a volunteer usher at UM football games.  He introduced me to a person he was talking with who looked familiar to me.  He should have looked familiar, we had been neighbors a long time ago, and I was his three sons' counselor in high school.  It turns out that he retired from his job and bought a publishing company.  One thing led to another, and we are going to sit down over lunch and talk about self-published a book of poetry.  Another coincidence?  

You were sure with me last night, Dear, and not in name only.  You are always a welcome presence in my life.