Page 17 - AHATA

A16 LOCAL
Wednesday 31 OctOber 2018

Rose and Tony finally visit Aruba after 50 years

Our relationship pro- wasn’t meant to be. Not realized that we are mak-
gressed quickly after. Tony until this year as we cel- ing new memories on this
proposed a year later ebrated our 50th golden trip, ones to keep us until
and we were finally mar- wedding anniversary. our next trip to Aruba. We
ried October 19, 1968. Not don’t plan on waiting such
long after, we had our first Unfortunately, the room at a long stretch of time for
child, Rosemary in Septem- the Sheraton wasn’t avail- our next visit, but until then,
ber 1969. And the children able for our stay, but our I want to remind people
didn’t stop coming - Thom- children, together with that love is still alive.
as in 1971, Rocco in 1974 their spouses, surprised us
and our youngest, Celeste, with our hotel stay in Aru- “True love is blind. You
in 1977. I always say that if ba. It was a perfect gift don’t see nothing else
we could have afforded from our children who’ve but the love you have for
more children, we would been hearing about our each other.” I will be very
have had more. honeymoon and our rela- fortunate and happy if my
tionship for as long as they grandchildren – all nine of
Our honeymoon was a can remember. them - all find the love and
trip of our lifetime. We Over the past week, An- happiness that I found with
had a wonderful week in tonio and I have toured Tony.
Aruba, just the two of us! Aruba, trying to find some-
We talked over the last 50 thing that would rekindle “Don’t get me wrong, we
years about coming back the memories that we had have had immense ups
I was only 8 years old living sisters. We settled into a to the island and staying 50 years ago. It’s changed and downs, but love pulled
in a small beach town in small apartment in Brook- in the same room of the so much, but we remem- us through.”
Calabria, Italy, when I saw lyn, New York in 1959. With hotel that we celebrated ber the lighthouse and
a black-and-white picture all the newness of my sur- our honeymoon in, but it walking along the beach. I Written by Rose Pugliese
of a young boy that would roundings, I still couldn’t
change me forever. In my forget the image of the
wildest dreams, I could not boy in the picture.
have known the impact of
this moment. Our first meeting would
come a year later. Tony’s
Antonio Pugliese seemed family was coming to visit.
to be about 12 years old, I was a young 11-year-
with a narrow, long face old with eyes only for this
with eyes that looked so 15-year-old boy. I tried
warm. His hair, I couldn’t to get him to notice me
tell the exact color, but I throughout the years, but
imagined it to be brown, he dated girls that were
with soft waves. Tony was more his age. We were
the son of my father’s close acquaintances, not quite
friend, who immigrated friends.
to Canada years before.
That’s the only way that I It was six years later when
could have missed this boy our then-friendship would
around my town. turn into a budding ro-
mance. Through a fam-
“This is the guy I want to ily tragedy, the loss of my
marry when I move to 5-year-old brother, that
America,” I said out loud. I Tony’s feelings for me
didn’t know Tony or his sen- would change. I was 17
sibilities, but it didn’t mat- and he finally started to
ter. I just knew. see me as a woman. As I
took care of my brother
It wasn’t until two years through his illness, and my
later when I would experi- parents and siblings after
ence another life-chang- that, I would earn his atten-
ing moment. I finally immi- tion and we began dating
grated to America with my later that year.
parents and two younger