When Your Greatest Romance Is a Friendship [SLNYT, will make you cry]

February 25, 2017 2:07 PM

When Your Greatest Romance Is a Friendship

“Is this your grandson?” people sometimes ask Austin when she’s out with me.

I love watching her vanity prick up, the way she serenely tilts her small white head and refurbishes her Southern accent to correct them. “No, honey. He’s my friend.”

At this point, folks usually smile tightly and turn away, perhaps worried there is more than friendship going on between the old lady and the younger man seated at the bar or strolling through the supermarket, giggling like teenagers.

posted by limeonaire (17 comments total)

I was not looking for this story today. But a friend posted it and it was apparently something I needed to read. We collectively need more love stories right now.
posted by limeonaire at 2:09 PM on February 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Reminds me of Paul Zindel's The Pigman. Thanks, I needed this.
posted by xammerboy at 2:49 PM on February 25, 2017 [5 favorites]

It reminds me of a Paul too, but Paul Auster somehow.
posted by limeonaire at 2:55 PM on February 25, 2017

Made me recall the Matthew Teague essay in Esquire a couple years back.
posted by eugenen at 3:22 PM on February 25, 2017

I loved this story. Thank you.
posted by greermahoney at 4:01 PM on February 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

That was lovely, thank you.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:32 PM on February 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

What a beautiful story.
posted by sarcasticah at 4:50 PM on February 25, 2017

This is just lovely.
posted by SisterHavana at 5:33 PM on February 25, 2017

Well, yeah it did make me cry.
posted by DigDoug at 5:52 PM on February 25, 2017 [4 favorites]

Lovely.

I didn't cry, but I did get a big goofy smile on my face.
posted by Samizdata at 6:19 PM on February 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is just lovely. I am sending my best wishes to them both.
posted by maryrussell at 6:40 PM on February 25, 2017

Oh oh oh. What a lovely, lucky pair. I cried. Will probably cry some more. I like crying at these sorts of things.
posted by Hermione Granger at 9:21 PM on February 25, 2017 [4 favorites]

Didn't cry, but definitely teared up. What a wonderful story.
posted by Jynnan Tonnyx at 8:29 AM on February 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

That's a great story; thanks for posting it!
posted by languagehat at 5:27 PM on February 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

Oh gods, I hope someday I have a Victor.
posted by maryr at 8:40 PM on February 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Ah man, if that got you, this definitely might also.

You May Want to Marry My Husband

They really are killing it with the Modern Love column.
posted by limeonaire at 2:33 PM on March 3, 2017

See also.
posted by limeonaire at 5:56 PM on March 3, 2017