The day after Cyndi and Pat left, reality hit. I had FIVE days left in New York City. I would be back, but probably never like this. I actually feel like a New Yorker, and it has been the experience of a lifetime. What have I learned from all of this? I really need to give this some very serious thought. But let’s start with this: I learned that given my age and the rather sheltered life I have led for years, nothing stopped me from living my dream. I am self-confident, and I am mature. Nothing prevented me from taking on this city, even alone. I walked everywhere and experienced four out of five boroughs. I took on public transportation and toured New Jersey. I even tackled a blog. I am not only happy, but I am proud to have made all this happen. Talk about “cocktail conversation”. I am loaded for bear!
Now it is time to get ready for a rather extensive road trip with Anna Marie and Kathie. Fifteen days on the road; a minimum of 16 states. I have a lot to complete work-wise before hitting the road. I have to pack. I must accumulate everything I will be shipping back to California (including a desktop computer). I need to get a haircut.
So little time, and most worrisome, was that I had committed to interviewing Juan Legaretta on Thursday. Thursday? OMG! Anna Marie is coming in on Friday, we have a jam-packed weekend, and we’re hitting the road on Monday morning! Do I really have time to do this? Not really, but I was reminded that if I didn’t do it, I would always regret not taking advantage of the situation. After all, he worked for the Kennedys (Well, Eunice, anyway). And then I received a very fun phone call from Christina telling me she would be in town and asked if we could meet for lunch… on Thursday. Of course, I wanted to meet up with Tina! She hopped on the subway to Battery Park , and we had a great lunch at Fraunces.
We had a wonderful visit, and by the end of lunch, it was time to head back “home” – I was expecting the Legaretta’s at my place by 4:00 p.m. I also solicited Pierre’s help with the interview.
Christina came home with me; everyone else arrived right on time. She said her “goodbyes,” and we began the interview. Juan is a natural storyteller and he has many stories. This “one-hour interview” took over three hours, but it was very interesting, and it was well worth the time.
Juan was born on the Spanish side of the Basque country. He came to the United States from Paris, where he was working for the Sargent Shriver family. Sargent Shriver was the U.S. Ambassador to France from 1968 to 1970. The Shrivers asked Juan to work for them at their home in Maryland. After a few years in Maryland, he decided to move to New York City, where he worked for several wealthy people managing their household duties. Juan and Alycia met at the Basque Club in Brooklyn in the 1980s and later married in the Basque country. Juan has many stories about his work, some of which he could not (and would not) talk about. To this day, he is very loyal to the families for whom he worked. However, he did bring along a photograph of JFK, Jr. when he was about 10 or 11 years of age. Incredible.
After the interview, Juan asked me how old I was. I looked at Pierre, and then I looked back at Juan and said, “I tell everyone I am 22.” He replied, “Hmmm! I think we are the same age.” The man turned 80 last fall. Now, that hurt!
Pierre and I congratulated ourselves on a job well done by having a few drinks on the rooftop. How wonderful to have spent my last Thursday night on the rooftop with Pierre. It could not have been a better, more fulfilling day and a more beautiful night!
