My husband and I honeymooned in New York, because I have always loved the city. My husband, Shawn, had another reason for wanting to visit. He greatly respects the works of Isaac Asimov. Since Mr. Asimov was a native New Yorker, Shawn thought we might visit some places Asimov mentioned in his autobiographies. We landed at JFK on March 23rd, 2003. My excitement was palpable. As we came into the city I looked at Shawn to find his eyes wide with wonder and a smile on his face.
We stayed at the Millennium on Broadway and had a fantastic view. At night we would leave the windows open and sleep to the sounds of the traffic or the general sounds of the city. On our third day we decided to walk to Central Park. We laughed as we passed the Naked Cowboy, had to stop for a slice at Famous Ray’s, basically we strolled to the park. As we entered Central Park we talked about how amazing it was to find such a peaceful place in the middle of such hustle and bustle. We talked about our new lives together and how incredible it was to be in New York together. We mentioned some of the places Asimov spoke of and how we would try to find a few them the next day. It was a very peaceful and happy time. We felt connected and contented. As we were leaving I told Shawn I wanted a picture. He moved to my left and began reading the stone markers on the honeycombed shaped pavers at his feet. My picture taken, I decided to read a few pavers also. Realizing I was standing on one, I moved back two steps to read it and saw “American Elm Tree Endowed 2001 In Memory Of Isaac Asimov”! I was in disbelief. When I finally found my words, all I could say was “Honey, you are not going to believe this!” Shawn came over and just started laughing and saying “That’s crazy…of all the places to be, of all the places for you to want a picture.” Our honeymoon continued beautifully and we returned to our lives in Georgia. To most people, something as small as a stone memorial paver would be trivial, but to Shawn and I it is a huge reminder of how our love handles the unexpected and is as solid as stone.
