Anne and Me and Our Unique Experience

I’m not sure why Anne and I decided to "go out on the town" together. I liked Anne but she wasn’t in my original Specialty group at St. Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing and I don’t remember hanging around with her on a regular basis.  It was March of 1965 and we were in our senior year. Perhaps we decided to connect up socially because so many of original groups of friends had already met their "Mister Rights" and we were both still looking.   I do remember that we were dressed up rather fancy so I believe it was some sort of upscale place in midtown Manhattan.

I also remember being impressed when two tall, handsome, well dressed young men approached us and engaged us in conversation. We visited with them for quite some time and as the social activity was winding down, they mentioned they lived nearby and they cordially invited us back to their apartment for coffee. They seemed educated and sophisticated, and since there were two of us, we felt a certain safety, and we assumed it was an honest invitation to continue our pleasant conversations.  After all, they seemed so sincerely interested in us, and we  believed that possibly they might turn out to be  our "Mr. Rights".

I guess we were young (both of us recently turned 20) and a bit naive and trusting, because we agreed to their invitation and went with them back to their apartment.  If my memory serves me correctly, the guys skillfully maneuvered us towards two separate areas in the apartment and "put the moves on us" rather aggressively. We might have been naive, but we weren't stupid and we immediately realized that their intentions were less than honorable. Cordial   conversation was not what they had in mind!

I yelled out, "Anne" at about the same time that she yelled out, "Mary Beth". We both rose from our seats and met in the middle of the room and announced this wasn't what we had in our minds and we were leaving.  They didn't apologize or ask to see us again to prove they were interested in getting to know us as the wonderful women we were.   They were interested in only one thing and they could care less about us as human beings.   I'm not sure why but they went outside with us as we hailed a cab and one of the guys handed me money to pay for the cab.  I remember feeling so angry about the entire situation, that before the cab pulled away, I opened the window, ripped the bill into smithereens and threw it out of the cab at them.  I believe it was a $20 dollar bill (which was a lot of money back in 1965).  I think Anne might have felt I acted a bit impulsively, throwing away the cab fare, but she understood my indignation.  I'm including a copy of the letter Anne wrote to me the next day.

                          March 27, 1965

Dear Mary Beth,

        I just wanted to tell you that I really had a terrific time with you last night. You are one of the few people whom I know and go out with who can be so very truly herself and still have a good time. You made me laugh enough to last a year!

     Please forget about the regrettable part of the evening. I'm sure we both learned a few things. I'm still in a state of shock at myself and I hope you realize as I do that it was a unique experience. I'm looking forward to going out with you again (to the same place, I hope - we've got to prove ourselves, remember). Hope you got up on time. Be good and avoid throwing away green paper unnecessarily.  I admire your spunk -you're just simply, incredibly great!! See you when I get back.

                                  Sincerely,

                                                                                                  Anne (over)

I'm even going to remember you in my Mass and Communion tomorrow - for our future strength in strange apartments.  A.

Sadly, Anne died suddenly on December 6, 2022, one day after her 78th birthday.  Rest in Peace, my friend.  Remember me as you come into your glory.