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A LITTLE LOVE STORY

When I moved into the Arizona retirement village, I had never dreamed of finding love again. I thought that chapter in my life was over. The only way I could have imagined that even happening was if I could turn back time. Yet, I found someone!!

All of my life, I have believed that certain things happen for a reason. I truly feel the reason that I was here was that I was supposed to meet HIM.

Our village organizes special events from time to time for the residents. As it turned out, we both had signed up for the weekend in Las Vegas trip. We would be staying at the New York, New York Hotel, and see Cher‘s show, at the MGM Grand Hotel, “Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves.” For me, her Bob Mackie gowns alone were worth the price of the show tickets. Most of the seats were already taken when I boarded the bus. However, there was a seat available next to a very handsome man. I sat down by him, and was immediately taken with his good looks and charming personality.

He told me a little bit about himself, including the fact that he had been an astronaut working for NASA at the time of the Apollo program. That was quite a coincidence because Boeing at Cape Canaveral had also employed me at the same time. The rockets are launched at Cape Kennedy, but the town next to it retains the name, Cape Canaveral.

Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought that I would fall in love with someone who had actually taken a walk on the moon. Again, we had something in common. He had walked on the moon, and I was totally moonstruck!

Just like Jesse James, he stole my heart. We ended up spending the whole weekend together. Neither of us is much on gambling, but we did have fun with the slot machines. As expected, Cher’s show was awesome. When she sang “A World Without Heroes,” I felt she was singing TO ME about my guy, my astronaut hero.

“A world without heroes

Is like a world without sun.

You can’t look up to

Anyone without heroes.”

Since that weekend, just three months ago, we have been inseparable. It makes me think of that old cliché, “Just because there is snow on the roof, doesn’t mean there isn’t a fire in the oven.”

To make a long story short, we are planning to get married at one of the wedding chapels in Las Vegas next month. In a way, we owe it all to Cher. If we hadn’t signed up for that Las Vegas weekend, featuring her show, we might not have met. Love works in mysterious ways!!

People always said I had a (9) heart of stone back in my younger days, and maybe that was true. I know I didn't understand "regular" people very much and preferred to hang out with (3) gypsies, tramps, and thieves." Maybe that's why I agreed to have (2) tea with Mussolini when he asked me.

Call me (1) moonstruck, but I will never forget that day. (5) If I could turn back time, it would be to that day. I know, I know, he had his bad side and some of his friends were quite unsavory. Yet, on that day, I knew (6) I had found someone with whom I could spend my life. If only I had been given time to change him, I am sure he would have turned into a very gently soul.

Of course it didn't turn out that way. The rest of the world treated him (7) just like Jesse James, and he met his demise soon after we had tea together. I knew then that man would take (4) a walk on the moon before I ever met another like him.. Of course, I I never did. II have found that (8) a world without heroes is quite lonely but have given up hope that someday my prince will come for he already has.