63 Comments

Just don't get on the plane without me.

Expand full comment

Nevvah!!

Expand full comment

A husband I was married to for thirteen years convinced me (when I was 30) that I was getting old. I thought if I didn't divorce him soon and found someone else I would be alone for the rest of my life. When I did divorce him, I ended up with a job at the County Clerk's office, and eventually actually performed wedding ceremonies. What I found was everyone from eighteen-years-old to 80+ years old finds their person. Congratulations, you two!!!

Expand full comment

Congratulations on the public recognition of your love for one another. My love and I decided on that ceremony too after thinking we would not ever again marry. We married. Ceremony mattered to us. We love each other so much we just couldn’t keep it to ourselves. Also. I’ve thought it’s a lot like hitting publish. On a story one needs to share.

Expand full comment

Yes!

Expand full comment

Hooray for the activist nostalgia and tradition molecules! I'm still smiling...and wishing you two married people a big "mazel tov" and "brilliant"! My late honey, Jerry, and I never visited City Hall but recited the marriage vows in our West 110th Street apartment before heading down to NYU Langone for the dicey quadruple bypass he did, happily, survive -- for 20-plus years. Happy holidays, Laurie and Richard.

Expand full comment

Thanks! And happy hildays to you as well. xxL

Expand full comment

You? 19 and married? I. 19 and lost my virginity to a rock n roll band piano player. It was not romantic. The next 8 years. 2 major romances. In between many episodes of very casual sex. Met future husband @27. Married 44 years. I wonder why I’ve been faithful?

Expand full comment

xxL

Expand full comment

These were the ohmygod ideas and phrases that brought on ecstasy:

"side by side like a pair of animals waiting to enter the ark" - a strangely original concept - why did I never notice this? I certainly felt it. It's so right on!

"a suitcase on a conveyor belt at the airport, tottling along in a line with other suitcases until we were pitched down a winding chute to a cold, dark whatever."

"There was something about that punim, the English accent." Not only is the juxtaposition of punim and English accent enjoyable (Act British, think Yiddish), but you didn't bother italicizing punim or putting single quotation marks around it, which I tend to apologetically do - like I'm warning the reader to hold on, this will be very foreign, when in fact it's so natural to my speech and who I am. It's me, making myself be 'other.' I think you may have encouraged me to stop doing that.

Expand full comment

Fantastic! Are you coming to our zooms on writing craft? I think you would enjoy them. The next one is next Saturday. xxL

Expand full comment

This delights me. You both delight me.

Expand full comment

Well as beloved Marilyn said, "It's mutual, I'm sure." Thanks, lovely M. I am so grooving on your latest book, "Constructing a Nervous System." Readers: stay tuned for more here on MJ's great, great piece of creative writing.

Expand full comment

Married, you’re both more personal! A very goyishe Mazel Tov!

Expand full comment

Congratulations to both you. I'm sure you'll have fun no matter where that plane lands.

My second marriage lasted long enough to be called a success by some (if time was the main criteria) was 'held' in our kitchen. We met with the celebrant the day before to discuss our vows. I said we wanted to exclude the words 'husband' and 'wife'. She said the ceremony would be too short and showed us her collection of romantic words by people who obviously liked flowers to 'fill things out.' My then still dear partner suggest we might recite the kings and queens of England or cricket test match captains or read from the periodic table - palladium... zirconium... Then he gave her some scraps he liked from my unfinished poetry stashed in the 'could work elsewhere' file. I wish I'd known you then 'married people' would have worked.

Expand full comment

Laurie, thank you for "Hitched." I read it and felt the joy of this later in life union and the history of the earlier marriage. Very well written and compelling.

Expand full comment

Mazel tov! I loved every word of this. The “suitcase at the airport feeling” takes me back to my wedding day at 18. It’s such a complicated institution, especially for women, isn’t it? May the two of you make it your own.

Expand full comment

Yes!

Expand full comment

Well, Mazel Tov, you two.

Expand full comment

Thanks!

Expand full comment

Congratulations! It IS different being married vs. not, and I don't mean legally. Glad you found your Richard.

Expand full comment

Thanks! Time will tell.

Expand full comment

Congrats 🙂

Expand full comment

As has already been said and bears repeating--mazel tov (and happy Chanukah)

Expand full comment

Congratulations!!! Love the post too

Expand full comment