Jayne 2009: A Love Story and Birthday Tribute

Today would have been Jayne’s birthday, or as our daughters Maxine and Audrey fondly called her, “Mom.” I’m sad as I remember this special day. I want to share the story of how Jayne and I met, fell in love, and the life we built together.

Meeting and Marrying Jayne

Jayne and I met on a sunny afternoon in November 1981. Fate brought us together at Mickey’s Bar, a cozy spot in Manhattan’s TriBeCa. We instantly felt a magnetic attraction. We tied the knot at Manhattan’s City Hall, six weeks later.

Jayne was, without a doubt, the most intelligent person I had ever known. We often admired each other’s intellect. Jayne said I was smarter than anyone in medical school, except for a fellow named Monty. Curiously, Monty left medical school to pursue a career as a professional surfer.

I never had the chance to meet Monty. But Jayne made several attempts to locate him.

Learning and Growing Together

Throughout our marriage, we encouraged each other to expand our knowledge. I studied computer programming at NYU. Jayne pursued an anesthesiology residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Jayne was the last American to complete her residency in two years, before the requirements were changed.

Playing Pool

One of our shared passions was pool, or pocket billiards. We bought a used eight-foot Brunswick Heirloom pool table from Ron Blatt of Blatt Billiards. Mr. Blatt’s meticulous employees set it up in our living room. We studied Willie Mosconi’s book on pocket billiards and practiced diligently. Eventually, our hard work paid off, and Jayne won a tournament at the Raccoon Lodge on Warren Street, not far from Mickey’s Bar.

Raccoon Lodge, named after the fraternal organization in The Honeymooners, was a special place for us. We were known as “the newlyweds” among the regulars. However, life’s journey took us to different places. We moved from our rent-controlled apartment on Riverside Drive to Georgia in 1986, and later to Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, and finally to Bedford, New York, in Westchester County.

More About Jayne

If you want to learn more about Jayne, you can read what I wrote about her on her last two birthdays, in 2007, and 2008.

Notably, Jayne once saved my life after a horrific car accident in 1986. I am grateful for her love and care.

Remembering Jayne Today

On August 20, 2004, Jayne passed away at the University of Kentucky Hospital, a place where she had also worked as Director of Traumatic Anesthesiology.

As time has passed, I can’t stop myself from feeling very sad and missing Jayne a lot, especially now that we are getting older. I really wish she could be here with me to experience these moments together, to see how much the world has changed since 2004, and all the amazing new technologies that have come about. I know she would have been thrilled and excited to learn about all these advancements because she was so intelligent and curious.

Maxine and Audrey, our daughters, miss their Mommy dearly. And on this day, her birthday, I remember her with love and affection.