Cohasset, MA. October 2003.
Meet Charlie and Stephanie. If there's not a word for "mensch" in the non-Jewish world, maybe it should be Charlie. On the night this photo was taken, I had just completed my first ever Bikram yoga class, a serious accomplishment for a guy with the flexibility of the Tin Man. I think Charlie may have treated us to sushi afterwards. Then we went back to their cozy little home just outside Boston, where these guys put me up in the guest bedroom during not 1 but 2 of my passes through Beantown during "the greatest year of my life"—the 1st one kicking off with a trip on Charlie's boat in the harbor. What's amazing about their generosity is the fact that I dated Stephanie—albeit briefly—while these guys decided to take a break in their 2-year relationship. I don't know what she was thinking. This guy's awesome. Super friendly. Smart. Funny. Comes from good East Coast stock. Ran the family restoration company when I was out there. And couldn't have been nicer about dealing with some dude who dated his wife showing up in his VW bus from California. After 2 visits with these guys, I was pretty sure Stephanie made the right choice. I'd like to think that a few months with me helped send her running back into the arms of the man she was meant to be with. Like a reverse Cupid.