return to home

Refer to:
Our Residents' Stories,
Growing Up "Colored" in New York,
which is Part I
and My Best Friend, Part II.


After months of anticipation I was on my way to New York. It had been 50 years since I had seen most of these people--50 years. Naturally, the person I most wanted to see was Ursula. My mind went back to 1953, when we last saw each other. What were we thinking about when we said goodbye? Why didn't I get her new address? Why didn't she look for me? The answers might be only a day away.

MY BEST FRIEND, PART III

by Joyce Gittoes


Well, finally the day came for the Reunion. I had been there from the day before, and all that day I was in my room expecting to get a call from Ursula, but there was no call. So I went downstairs into the lobby to begin registration. The registration desk was on the mezzanine and I could look down into the lobby and see guests as they checked in and read the board telling them where events were being held.

I had a distinct advantage over everybody else because I had seen all of the current pictures. It only took me a moment to figure out who the person was, as they came up to the desk. There were lots of hugs and kisses and I even got lei' d by Sal from Hawaii, right in the lobby.


Joyce and Ursula
Together again after Fifty Years
After an initial rush, there was a lull in the registration; I looked down the stairs into the lobby and I saw Ursula. We both screamed. She ran up the few stairs to where I was standing. We hugged, screamed, cried, and hugged again. We stared at each other over and over, like we couldn't believe we were really there. But we were. After 50 years, we were together again.

The reunion was great. I got to see lots of old friends and met lots of new friends. The time went by so fast. Before we knew it, it was Sunday and time to say "good-bye", or rather "see you later." We plan to get together again very soon. We all agreed that we can't afford to wait another 50 years.

But it wasn't over yet for Ursula and I. We had planned that I would go back to New Jersey with her and Sig for a few days. It was Father's Day and Ursula's son was having a cookout at his house, so I got to meet him, her daughter, and her three grandsons.

Ursula and Sig have a lovely home and they are a great couple. Ursula baby sits for her youngest grandson, Kevin, so I got to spend a lot of time with him. He's a real character. He let me color with him, and he told me he wants to be an "underwear dancer" when he grows up.

We sat around talking and eating (she's a great cook, too), and trying to catch up on 50 years of life. I got to see the videotape of Ursula's life from her wedding shower through the birth of her children and the move into their current home 36 years ago. I also got to see the video of her daughter's wedding. It was a great visit.

In a previous story I mentioned that I was looking forward to meeting Sig, Ursula's husband. Well, Sig and I are great friends now. I'm so glad that she has such a great guy in her life.

I've invited them to Phoenix so maybe you'll get a chance to meet them.