Friday, November 15, 2024
George and I became fast best friends when we first met at Xavier High School. We had great times with our dates at military balls and our prom at the Plaza Hotel, Hotel Pierre, and Copacabana. In junior year we both performed in the play, "Command Decision," with George copping a top Actors Award. In senior year George won top National Awards for Original Oratory at the Eastern Catholic Forensic League in Pittsburgh.
George and Mary teamed up with my wife, Ann and me to enjoy a fabulous time at the World's Fair at Flushing Meadows for the 64-65 Exposition. Shortly thereafter, I was honored to serve as George's Best Man for his wedding to his beautiful bride, Mary.
For a time, George and I attended the NYU School of Arts and Sciences for Political Science. We would meet for dinner on a frugal budget, and order an eggplant sandwich at a small restaurant off Washington Square. Occasionally, we would splurge with the street vendors at the Square for a delicious .25 hot dog and a .15 soda.
But what I am most grateful to George is for the counseling services he gave me for my marital prospects. Ann and I had a spat, I was dejected: Ann sent a conciliatory letter to me, and I was in no mood to call her back. When I read her letter to him, George called me out and said, "What are you crazy? You can tell by that letter she's in love with you. Don't let her go!"
I took George's advice to heart, ran after Ann, and we've been ecstatically married for 58 years.
Thank you, George. I'll see you soon!
Frank Heelan
