The Last Man in my Life 2

The following Saturday was a Bank Holiday November 11th, Veterans' Day,
and therefore a day when no mail was delivered. I was amazed to see a letter in our mailbox. It was from Philip, asking me out that night for dinner in Chicago, to see Alfie at the movies. I didn't waste any time in calling him on the number provided. John answered the phone but said Philip was having his ablutions. I had to look that one up in the dictionary later. But Philip did call back and I
said “Yes.”
 

Here is the letter I sent to my parents and sister two days later.

November 13, 1966

Dear Mom, Dad and Judy,

Phil is awfully nice to have around. So I will devote the rest of this letter to him.

You will be hearing a lot about him, since this promises to be a close friendship, so you may as well be properly introduced to him right away. John Philip Day is from Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, just north of
France. He is 29, has his PhD in Chemistry from Oxford, no less, and he likes me.

I had this note in my mail box saying, “I suspect you’re busy this weekend, but if not, would you consider having dinner and seeing a film tonight?”

So I said “I’d love to,” even though I was supposed to go to a baby shower that night.

I was on top of the world. Remember I wrote that he’d come over on my birthday last week and I’d a feeling that perhaps he’d ask me out, and Marcy, my roommate, told me not to be so stupid. Well, I was right. So I took three hours getting ready for our date, nail polish and all.

We went to a hotel restaurant in Chicago and the service wasn’t very good, so Phil refused to tip. They were very mad and I was very embarrassed, but he
said it would be a mockery to tip for bad service.

We went to see Alfie, which is a better version of Tom Jones. It was an
English movie, so Phil felt right at home He had to translate some of it for me. Then we went out to a pub and had beer, and came home and talked (and stuff) until three. I discovered he’d been thinking of asking me out for the last three weeks but hadn’t because of a remark I made when he was critical of my bridge playing ability and I said he enjoyed hurting people. And he didn’t think I’d acted very interested. (He must have been pretty thick.)

But we did have a nice time. Then on Sunday, we walked to the Ba’hai Temple and went inside. Then we sat by Lake Superior and watched the waves and boats go by. Then we went to his apartment for tea and toast and then he
came here and I made him supper. Marcy was very angry and said that she resented paying for his portion of food. I think she was jealous actually because she has known him as long as I have, and I think she was rather hoping it would be her he asked out.

He asked if we'd be exclusive. I asked him what that meant. "Will you be dating anyone else?" and I said no, so I guess you could say we are going steady. Actually on the second date, on Sunday, he told me that any girl he married would have to agree to live in England. I was rather taken aback by that, and sort of giggled. “Would you consider it?” he went on. “Yes, of course I would,” I said. So be warned.

He’s a Christian, no less. I was beginning to think there weren’t any of those left. He belongs to the Church of England. While we were on the subject of
marrying on our second date, I said, “I will want to be married in the Catholic Church,” which he was not very happy about, but I told him that it wasn’t that I expected my husband to convert or anything like that. I know both of your husbands converted Mom, but I don’t think it is such a big deal any more.

He’s going home for Christmas as he is very close to his family and is homesick. His Dad and one brother, who is in Africa, are teachers. The other
brother is living in Australia and is a mathematician.

Phil is about 5’11” tall, and weighs about 160 lbs. He has sandy hair, quite long, but not Beatle like - just English looking. He’s quite good looking, and really quite shy. He has red cheeks and doesn’t care much about clothes. He dislikes girls who wear nail polish, dye their hair, and wear make-up.

Really he is awfully nice and I hope something comes of this. It is a good feeling to have someone really like me, and I believe he is sincere.

Love

Jeanie