Our first Date.

I had been living in NYC for about 2 years and was still bringing my laundry back to Philadelphia when a friend gave me the telephone number of a girl I might like to meet. I remember calling her from my good friend and mentor’s studio. I think I had my feet up on his desk while I dialed the phone. Sondra had been expecting me to call as her school friend was the person who had given me the number. We talked a bit and then I asked if she would like to see a movie with me. That’s when it first started. She suggested we see “Born Yesterday”. I had wanted to see “Hamlet”. Little did I realize that this debate would continue for the next 62 years. Anyhow, I was able to borrow my father’s car and drove up to Wynnfield to pick up my date. We drove down to midtown and went directly to the movie house. Tickets were sold out for that performance so I bought tickets for the next showing and suggested that we go and get a soda at the Harvey House. We ordered and then I said” I have to go to the men’s room. On my way back to our table I looked around at all the other young ladies in the place and told myself I was with the prettiest girl in the restaurant. We walked around downtown Philly after our sodas and talked about I don’t remember what but I do remember I enjoyed her company. We passed the Academy of Music and there was a sideboard advertising a performance by Andre Segovia coming up. I said I would buy tickets and that would be our next date. Sondra was thinking “What makes him think there will be a next date”. I know this because sometime later she told me her thoughts about our first date.

Leonard September 13, 2017