Through the Eyes of Love: Eileen & Rudy in New York

I saw them walking slowly out of the corner of my eye. She moved at a crawling pace, carefully shuffling her feet one in front of the other while still holding on to him. Dressed in casual tan pants, a bright orange sweater and matching cardigan, she was perfectly put together from head to toe (even with the thick white orthopedic shoes that looked heavier than she did). Her hair was snow white and coiffed to her shoulders, her makeup fresh and her lipstick a darker shade of red to compliment her orange attire but not match it — this was a woman who, in her prime, made heads turn. Her bright blue eyes still sparkled when she looked at him, despite him not being able to see her anymore.

He wore a brown suit and matching fedora hat, and walked with help from her and a cane that was likely as old as he was. Never once letting go of each other, they slowly made their way into the elevator.

I held the elevator open until they were safely on board.

“Are we all in?” Rudy asked. “Yes, dear, we’re all safe and sound,” Eileen replied, patting him on the hand. “Our new friends here are going to make sure we make our weekly beautifying appointment.”

The elevator opened on the ground floor of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. Eileen and Rudy checked in for their weekly Saturday appointments – two manicures and two pedicures. The staff greeted them as if they were family, and they probably are. Eileen and Rudy have been coming to Saks for their treatments for over a decade – partly to ensure he’s well manicured and groomed, since her frail hands can’t hold a nail clipper steady anymore; and partly to provide her with a few moments of solitude before guiding him back home through the busy streets of Manhattan.

She led Rudy through the rooms filled with ladies in curlers and fake coloring; some under heat lamps, some on their cell phones. Shopping bags were placed neatly next to the chairs where clients sat waiting for their beautician to finish primping. If Rudy could see, I have to assume he would be in awe at how things have changed over the years. But I believe the image of a woman he holds most sacred is Eileen.

They sipped their drinks – tea for her and water for him – and waited to be called on for their one-and-a-half hours of pampering. I watched them talk to each other – she never took her eyes off him and he never left the sound of her voice. As she got up to make her way to the magazine rack Eileen looked over at me in my manicure chair and winked.

“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it dear?”

“Yes,” I said and smiled. “Can I get you that magazine?”

“No dear, my old bones need the exercise.”

Rudy asked her who she was talking to and Eileen simply replied, “Just a new friend, dear.”

Minutes later, an esthetician came over to greet Eileen and Rudy. She was ready to take them to their manicure and pedicure stations and bent down to help Eileen. “No, no, Rudy first,” said Eileen. “Let’s make sure he’s settled, then I’ll make my way over.”

Watching Eileen and Rudy was a lesson in loves labor. She lifted her frail body from the chair in the waiting area and then, with the ease of the strength of a teenager, helped Rudy from his chair. You could see in them a simpler time – walks through Central Park, canoe rides on the pond, cigarettes in holders and pill box hats, and the war, maybe two wars. Their New York life consisted of dinner parties and dress-ups, surrounded by dozens of friends and endless bottles of sparkling wine and sherry. Their silver was probably centuries old and their photo albums probably spanned the entire century. The one constant throughout it all: their love.

As I got up to leave my ‘beautifying’ I glanced over to check-in on Eileen and Rudy. He was sitting patiently in his chair while his nails were cleaned and filed. She was sitting with her head back and her eyes closed, her hand still holding on to his. He knew she would never let go.