Guess what? I received a huge, beautiful bouquet of flowers, mainly roses yesterday. Ok, so you say "so what, it must have been her birthday or an early Valentine's present." Well, you're all wrong.
The bouquet of flowers were unexpected, but wished for 20 years ago. In my farewell write-up about retiring after 25 years ago as The Saratogian's society columnist, I mentioned that a doctor from Pennsylvania had asked me to dance at one of dozens of galas I attended.
He used to swing around the dance floor with any woman he asked in a non-traditional dance move. I was one of them. All it got me was two broken bones in my little finger and a cast up to my elbow. To make matters worse it was my right hand, my writing hand. I did manage to get my job done - on time - but it wasn't easy.
The bottom line was the doctor sent me a get-well card. And, in my final goodbye I wrote that the least he could have done was send me flowers.
Well, some 20 years later he did. I was amazed. And he even called me to let me know he was honored that I recalled the incident and put his name in with other noted stars such as Ginger Rogers, Bert Parks, Walter Cronkite and Andy Rooney.
All I will say is they came at the best time since I am going into the hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) to have a new battery put in my pacemaker.
Thanks Doc. As you said in the card that arrived with the flowers: "Better late than never."
Amen!