True Love Stories -- What They Did For Love (page 2 of 4)

Change Text Size

Change Text Size
|
Bookmark

Bookmark

Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
|
Print
|
E-Mail

Images from this article

Shot on location at the New York Transit Museum; Hair and Makeup: Andrea Cambridge; Photographed by Andrew Brusso

Patrick Moberg created a website in order to find the dream girl that he saw in passing on the subway one night.

javascript:void(0);

Courtesy Calvin Trillin

Humor was the bond between Calvin and Alice Trillin.

javascript:void(0);

Photographed by Andrew Brusso

Jennie, with Aric, received the shock of her life while doing the crossword puzzle.

javascript:void(0);

Courtesy Calvin Trillin

Humor was the bond between Calvin and Alice Trillin.

Everything I found out about her was another wonderful thing

He Got Her Jazzed

"I really can't think of anybody who wouldn't appreciate being met at the airport by a jazz band," says writer Calvin Trillin. "I suppose there might be some people who are in the witness protection program."

But Calvin's wife, Alice, wasn't some hood in hiding, and she would, he knew, most definitely love being feted by a jazz band.

The year was 1972, and Calvin was in Louisiana covering a crawfish festival. Back in New York, Alice's parents were both ill, and she was coming down for some much-needed R&R. Calvin wanted to cheer her up. He called a friend at Preservation Hall about getting a band. But Jazz Fest was in full swing. All the good ones were booked. So he took what was left.

When Alice's flight landed, she deplaned and walked smack into a wall of sound -- brass, to be exact -- tooting a rousing rendition of "Hello, Dolly!" For her. And she laughed.

"She saw it as a grand gesture. And I don't think she cared that the cornet player was actually an antiques dealer." In fact, he wasn't even from Cajun country. He hailed from London. And the trombone player? Norwegian. They happened to be in town for the festival.

Calvin and Alice strolled arm in arm through the terminal, trailed by their personal band blasting out standards. Along the way, passengers fell in behind and began second-lining all the way to the baggage area.

"Usually not the most interesting of times, waiting for your bags," says Calvin. "But they kept playing."

Alice died a few years ago, but Calvin clings to the memory of that day. "She was a very engaged person," he says. "Having a jazz band meet her fit her personality."

So what if he couldn't land a Satchmo or a Wynton Marsalis? As Calvin reminds us, "Imperfect gestures are still nice gestures."

Should Everyone Read This? Yes! I vote for this story

Post a Comment

Name

Comment

Remaining Character Count:

DEAR ANDY, READ YOUR ARTICLE ABOUT PATRICK & CAMILLE, & HIS WEBSITE. AM TRYING TO DO THE SAME FOR A GIRL FROM MOLINE, ILL I MET LAST CHRISTMAS. I HAVE MORE INFO, BUT NO HELP UNLESS SHE SEES ONE OF THE 2 SITES I POSTED. RAN 3 CRAIGSLISTS, CALLED 4 P.I.s, HER HIGH SCHOOL, THE LIBRARY, A YEARBOOK PUBLISHER, PUT ADS IN MOLINE & NC PAPERS, SPOKE TO 6 DELTA REPS, 1 PILOT, & JUST FINISHED A SCREENPLAY ABOUT HER & MY IN-DEPTH SEARCH. CAN YOU HELP ME FIND SANDRAFROMMOLINE.COM THANKS DICK MCGRATH-FL

By MOLINE, on 03/17/2009

DEAR ANDY, DID YOU RECEIVE MY COMMENT ABOUT THE GIRL I MET IN ASHEVILL,NC NAMED SANDRA? COULDN'T TELL IF IT WAS SENT AFTER I JOINED OR NOT. DICK M.

By MOLINE, on 03/08/2009

See All Comments

How to Finish a Basement: Framing and Insulating
How to frame a basement and install insulation.
6 Delicious Christmas Cookie Recipes
Bake a batch of any of these easy to follow recipes or just drool over the stunning Christmas cookie pictures.
Spinach, Pear, and Shaved Parmesan Salad
A spinach salad, especially one with ripe fall pears, is a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving table. The salad can be served in a large bowl as part of a buffet, or on individual salad plates alongside the main course.
Delicata Squash Soup with Parmesan Croutons
Delicata squash, as its name implies, is a finely flavored, richly sweet winter squash with a nearly fibreless flesh. Cylindrical in shape, with elongated ridges, this squash has yellow to pale orange skin with green striations. Its beautiful yellow flesh and delicate flavor make it perfect for this puréed soup.
Thanksgiving Desserts
It will be difficult to wait until the end of the meal for these gorgeous desserts.