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Off to New York

Posted on July 27, 2005December 2, 2019 by Paul Armstrong

Sonya and I are finally getting away for a few days, without the kids, to NYC for our 10 year anniversary. I’m slightly nervous — as its been years since I’ve been to NYC, or any large city for that matter (excited nervous).

So why NYC? It’s the place that Sonya and I met and kindled a relationship, some 12 or 13 years ago. Bare with me if you know the story, I just want to write it out for those who don’t know, but more or less because it’s a good story and I want to write it out. Messiah art students took (and maybe still take) a yearly trip to New York to visit the art museums (sometimes we would go to the Metropolitan, but usually we went to the Museum of Modern Art). It was mid November, my first year at Messiah (after transferring). I didn’t know many people, but looked forward to the chance to escape from my jock-jerk roommates (who failed to see the worth of art – and thus, me).

Early, early morning I walked out my basement level apartment, met up with my friends Robyn and Mike (who were had been in some of my classes, and were dating) and they were accompanied by a pretty blonde girl who I’d not seen. “This is Sonya”, Robyn informed me, “my roommate – she’s an art minor”. We all walked down to Eisenhower and collected ourselves onto the bus. I sat with Mike, Robyn with Sonya. The bus filled and we went off on our way to the city.

We were dropped off somewhere in front of the Met, and clamored about the front steps, deciding if we wanted to go there, or the MoMA. We split up (Art History students opting for the Met, and us painters and sculptors for the MoMA). I can remember keeping my eye on Sonya, as we walked through the galleries, talking about the paintings and what we could remember of the artists – their life, their motivations, their messages within the canvas. Sonya hadn’t taken any art history courses, so she asked me lots of questions. I’m not sure how much of what I said was accurate, but I wanted to impress this pretty girl, and she seemed interested in what I was saying … so I kept talking.

We hung out the entire trip. Eating in Chinatown, walking the streets, laughing, joking, learning. But then it was time to go. Just like that. We boarded the bus – the same seats. This time Robyn asked me if I minded if Mike switched with Sonya, so she and Mike could sit together. (“Um, no, not at all a problem”). So for 3 hours, Sonya and I talked about everything under the sun. Education. Art. Music. Family. I never talked that much my entire life up till that point, let alone with one person. I was smitten (in deep smit). I can remember at the end of the ride, something about a boyfriend, and feeling every ounce of my hope and joy turn into a dark cloud that left me. But in the back of my mind, I kept saying “who cares, she’s not married to him”.

Thus started our courtship. I hope we can rekindle some of that excitement, the jitters of holding hands, electricity of each others’ presence, and just enjoy each other as husband and wife of 10 wonderful years.

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