💕 It Happened at The Fountain Bleu, in Miami…

In 1973, I was newly separated from my husband…

To escape my depression, & New York’s fierce winter, I took my daughters, along with my friend Jessica, to Miami beach. We 4 shared one large room in the glitzy resort…

Our crowded room was joyful but exhausting…believe me.

On the 2nd afternoon, I went down to the pool, (alone), while my girls were playing miniature golf at the hotel’s course.

Jessica was doing her own thing, so I was so glad to have some stolen free time.

I moved myself to a chaise in a quiet spot away from the slabs of greased-up bodies lined-up baking in the tropical sun. Rows & rows of chaises, the hotel was full as it was January. The country was in a deep freeze.

Just as I was settled in, reading quietly “my piece -of -peace” … was broken!

From the other side of the huge the poolside area, was filled with the loud, booming voice of Jessica. Her arms were waving in excitement…there was no ignoring her!

“Dee-Dee come over here… I found some old friends of mine that I haven’t seen in years”!

“Yuck”, I thought. Jessica was with her pals, 4 couples were surrounding her & noisily chatting away…They were carrying on laughing, drinking & enjoying themselves.

“I’ll be over in a little while”, I signaled not wanting to be rude…after a deep sigh. No tranquility for me! 😣🙄

About ten minutes later I slinked most reluctantly over to join them.

Much to my pleasant delight, Jessica’s old crowd were fun. 🤣🤣🤣

We were all seated on their lounges, schmoozing when a man who had been lying next to a woman, his wife? with another couple, (arow behind us), jumps right into our lively conversation. 😮

He introduces himself, “My name is Maurice. I'm a newspaper journalist from Istanbul. This is the first time I’ve been here. It's a great place… too bad we will be leaving tomorrow”, as he gestured toward his companions.

That threesome ignored us completely, as they continued to sunbathe; their eyes shut. Maurice was extremely personable. We mutually all enjoyed the comradery of fun in the sun.

As the afternoon turned cool, we bid warm goodbyes. 😊😊

That same night, when we retired to our room, getting ready for bed, the room phone rang. Who could it be? Huh.

“Hello Dee-Dee…this is Maurice", He spoke in a soft whispery voice.

Surprised😮 I answered, “H-h-hello”.

“Dee-Dee please have a cocktail with me”.

“With you and your wife”? I ask.

“No, & she’s not my wife…she’s married and lives in Paris. We know each other from Istanbul…have been “friends "for years. Since she had to go to South America for business and I had an assignment in Miami, we planned this Miami rendezvous”.

Shocker: I’m single…I’ve never been married”.

“B-but where is she now”? I asked aghast.

“Oh, she’s asleep in the other room”.

What chutzpah, what foreign intrigue…but I was wickedly excited, I must admit. Jessica who was sitting on my bed next to me, overheard this crazy conversation.

“You go” she mouthed thrilled, he’s gorgeous”!

“Ok” I answered after taking a deliberate pregnant pause. 😏

Maurice said, “Let us meet in the lobby in 15 minutes”.

My friend and I were squealing like little girls…

I fixed my makeup in record time.

……………………Maurice Clothed…………………...

When the elevator door opened into the ornate faux French lobby, he was standing there.

Maurice was in a navy silk shirt, white linen slacks with a double-breasted blazer slung over his shoulders. A Hermes leather bag in his hand.

He was so handsome, so debonair, so European…I could hardly breathe. 😍

My date whisked me off in a waiting cab to The Doral Hotel Starlight rooftop nightclub.

There we had martinis, talked, while holding hands. Maurice & I danced to a Cuban trio in the romantically lit room. Star lights played on its dark velvet ceiling. We sat close on the white tufted loveseat, straddled by potted palms, & open beach breezy night.

(Surely Cinderella with her prince couldn’t have dreamed a more perfect time).

We only stayed an hour or so, embraced, “Good-bye in the Fountain Bleu lobby. He & I exchanged phone numbers. Maurice and party were departing by noon tomorrow.

I floated to my room to pinch myself that it really happened. 😍

………… Now Funny Happened…….

Early the next morning, I was awakened by another Maurice call.

“Please spend time with at the pool, with my friends, as I must see you again before I leave for the airport by eleven.

“No thank you…your friends are snobby, and most unfriendly”.

“Oh please, please, come I promise my friends will be FRIENDLY”!

I had to brace myself to stroll casually over to Maurice and co. getting their last bit of tropical sun on their chaises. I was sooo nervous to face them not knowing what I was in store for.

Maurice and his male friend walked over to greet me.

The guy stares in my face, silently, for a long awkward stare. He is obviously measuring what he is about to say to me. I’m nuts… as I wait to hear what he is so hesitant to declare to me.

Then he takes my hand in his and stammers, “How are things in Radio City Music Hall”?

It was obvious he was doing what he was told, by Maurice “You must be friendly.” He had rehearsed to use this conversation starter.

‘Hello’…turns out Maurice’s companions were unfriendly because…they could not understand a word of English!

LOL