Getting Old and Getting Out
In New York City
byHerb Bardavid
This is John
John had been married to a woman when he was younger, and they divorced after 8 years of marriage. He has been with his current partner for 20 years. They married as soon as it was legally possible. He has no children.
John's choice of where to live in Connecticut had to do with its proximity to Manhattan. He said he could live anywhere. The place matters very little, as long as it is within an hour's drive of Manhattan. He said when Covid-19 hit, he did not get to the city for 18 months.
John loves the beach and will go frequently during the summer. Other than the beach and proximity to Manhattan, he believes he could live anywhere. I asked him if there is anything he does not like about the city and he replied the heat in the summertime. The only way he can tolerate the heat is by going to the shore.
John was sitting in Verdi Square Park on a beautiful autumn day in New York City. He was sitting at one end of the bench looking at his phone. I sat down at the other end and said good morning. He smiled and returned my greeting. I explained my blog to him and he was interested in talking with me.
John is 72 years old. He was born in New York and grew up in the Bronx. He had been a school teacher before he retired in 2015 having taught English "from kindergarten to graduate school and everything in between," although he said he did not have a core curriculum when teaching kindergarten. He loved teaching and misses it a great deal.
John considers himself a true New Yorker and loves Manhattan even though he currently lives in Westfield, Connecticut. He had owned an apartment on the Upper West Side when his mother was living on the Upper East Side. He needed to be close by to take care of her. When she passed away, he "regretfully" sold his apartment and moved to Connecticut with his husband in 2016.
John and his husband love to travel. Until Covid, they had traveled all over the world. They have been to many countries in Europe, South America, and Asia. However, they have no interest in visiting Japan. I asked him why and he could not say. Just, "not interested." He and his husband spent one year in Sweden when John was teaching kindergarten there. His favorite places are Greece and Morocco. They have plans to visit both places again, perhaps next Spring or Summer, providing they can again travel safely.
John is growing old and getting out, returning to the places and doing the things he loves to do in New York City. Going to the theater, museums, and all things Lincoln Center. The pandemic only delayed these pleasures, and John and his husband are planning to soon take full advantage of all that the city has to offer.