My Sweet Lorraine

When I graduated from high school, I was looking for a summer job before college started in September. Of course, I was only registered to go to Queensboro Community College since my parents didn't think it was necessary for a girl to go away to college.....even though my SAT scores were unusually high. Well, that's old news but still riles me today. My cousin Madelyn got me a job for an office machine company, Bohn Rex Rotary, on Park Avenue South. It was there that I met one of the nicest people I've ever known......my girlfriend Lorraine.

Lorraine worked for the President of the company and I considered her very worldly because she had been to "Hawaii". While I was taking the train to go to the beach on the weekend, she was on someone's luxury boat. I loved coming into work on Monday just to hear what she had done over the weekend. At the time, I was only 17 and I think she was 21 so there was a four year difference in age. When you're seventeen, however, anyone over twenty is considered much older. Lorraine and I became best friends. This picture was taken outside of my house in Brooklyn on the day I got married and Lorraine was one of my bridesmaids. In addition to being worldly, I also thought she was so beautiful.

The conversations I had with her were much different than the conversations I had with any of my other friends who were my age. She just seemed to know so much and her advice was given with much thought and usually based on her own past experiences. I remember one time being in Miami on vacation with some high school friends and meeting a guy who was much older than I was. They called him Chinatown. As they say now, "he was definitely into me" and I didn't know what the heck to do. One call to Lorraine set me straight. I wonder if she remembers that call. I remember it so well.....sitting on my bed in the Castaways Hotel and calling her for advice. She was way better than Dr. Phil would have been today.

She also dressed so well and every guy I knew was attracted to her. Would I say she was flirty? She probably was but it wasn't done intentionally. We had lunch together everyday, going downstairs in the building where they had pre-wrapped tuna fish sandwiches that were better than any I had ever had before. Then I remember both of us going on a diet together. At the time, I was probably no more than 100 pounds and wanted to be 95 pounds and likewise for her. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant we would go to but it was on 34th Street right across from Macys. We would order a hamburger without the bun and we thought we were so good. Perhaps we were the real inventors of the Atkins Diet.

Then Lorraine met Bob, a teacher and the love of her life. They're still married today and have two beautiful children. She is also a grandmother as her daughter Caren gifted her with her first grandchild. Here's a picture of Lorraine at Caren's wedding. Not much has changed.....she's still beautiful. There's a Tony Bennett song that describes her perfectly.... "She's got a pair of eyes, that are bluer than the summer skies. When you see them you will realize, why I love my sweet Lorraine."

In a nutshell, there is no one like her. Bubbly, beautiful, smart, loyal, sensitive, loving, vivacious and all of that spells Lorraine. And the best part is that she's still my friend. I don't see her as much as I'd like to and don't talk to her as often as I should, but if I list my friends, she's right at the top.

A few years ago, Bob told me that he doesn't like to talk to people sitting next to him on planes. When I asked him why, he told me that all the friends he wants, he already has. I often think about that and realize too, that I already have all of my friends as well. Since I've been living in Pennsylvania, I've made two best friends and one more that I met online. Added to that, I have five other real friends that I would consider "best friends". Lorraine is one of them. As their birthdays fall, you will find out the others.

So from one of your best friends to one of my best friends, I wish you Happy Birthday today, my sweet Lorraine. I made this cake for you and now it's up to you to come and have a piece with me. Obviously, I'm joking because any real friend of mine would know that I wouldn't have "made" the cake but would have "ordered" it. All kidding aside, we will make that date for lunch and it will be in celebration of both of our birthdays....those we've missed and those to come. Have a great day my friend.