New York City Couple Met on a Tennis Court. 53 Years On, They’re Still Holding Hands: ‘Care More About the Other Person Than You Do About Yourself.’
With all the dating horror stories online, finding an old couple happily holding hands feels increasingly rare. Meet Cutes NYC (@meetcutesnyc) interviews random couples from the streets of New York City and asks them for relationship advice, and recently struck gold when they stumbled upon Allan and Tony.
“Do you mind telling us a quick story of how you met?” The interviewer stopped Allan and Tony on the street as they held hands, with Tony leaning against his cane for support.
“1973 on the tennis court,” Allan replied. They had known each other for 53 years. When asked what his first impression of Tony was on the tennis court, Allan didn’t hesitate and said that he found him “hot.”
But when Tony was asked the same question, he had a surprising answer. “Not good.”
“I thought I was wasting my time, and I still haven’t decided,” Tony quipped, earning a laugh from Allan. If 53 years isn’t enough time for Tony to decide, this scenario may as well be the longest waiting game a couple has ever played. At least they lasted five decades, compared to this couple of ten years who cancelled their wedding because the groom wanted the bride to lose weight.
Then, the interviewer asked how the pair went from playing tennis to dating.
“Oh, you’re asking your gay couple that?” Allan cheekily remarked.
“My eye was on the ball. Let’s just put it that way,” he said. How they met matters less, although it seems to be the stuff of romcoms.
Advice from a couple who’ve been together for five decades
The interviewer asked the couple what their favorite traits are of each other.
“His good heart. It’s his best organ,” Allan said.
“He’s consistent. No waves,” Tony responded. In a long-lived relationship, showing up and being there is crucial in keeping it alive. Sometimes, it’s making a partner feel your presence. In other cases, it could be as simple as refilling snacks in the pantry.
“What advice would you give to a new couple that just met on the tennis court?” the interviewer asked.
“Care more about the other person than you do about yourself,” Allan advised. At times, some people in a relationship care more about what they could get out of the other person. But for Allan, putting his partner first seems to be what has made the relationship last.
“You get up to get a soda—you have to ask the other person, ‘Would you like a soda?’ without even thinking,” he continued. It’s about being thoughtful and making sure that they feel cared for. If the person consistently shows that they care about their partner, the latter would know and understand that they are valued in the relationship.
The couple walked away, still holding hands. Social media users gushed over the pair, with many commenters hoping they could experience the same kind of love.
One commenter wrote, “53 years together…… Back when loving each other was considered a crime. May this type of love attack me.”
Another said, “I was born in 1973. They’ve been in love my entire life. That made me cry happy tears.” Allan and Tony’s story goes to show that not all dates in New York City end in offense. In a stroke of luck, some love stories last for decades.
(featured images: Vlad Alexandru Popa, Meet Cutes NYC, Ahmed)
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