Love Story: Francine and Jimmy Amodia

For their 40th anniversary, Francine and Jimmy Amodia of Lindenhurst found themselves back where it all started. Francine tells their story.

I was 19 years old in 1971 when I went on a date to a house party in Rosedale, Queens. There I had a chance meeting with my first cousin, Bobby, who I'd never met before. What a coincidence that he and my date should know the party's host.

Bobby and I became good friends. I even introduced him to my girlfriend, who later became his wife. Three months later he returned the favor by introducing me to a great guy named Jimmy. Little did I know I was being introduced to my future husband. We went on a double date to the Eldorado Supper Club in Islip Terrace.

Jimmy was 21 and lived in Little Neck, Queens. He made me laugh all night, and his personality and charm completely won me over. Within three months we were engaged. We were married on Dec. 2, 1972, followed by a reception at the Narragansett Inn in Lindenhurst. For the next 39 years we lived happily in Valley Stream, with most of those years spent in our home on Argyle Street.

In 2011 we decided to go see a condo at the Narragansett Villas, a 55-and-over community complex built on the former site of the Narragansett Inn where we had our wedding reception.

On our way there "It's Impossible," sung by Perry Como, came on the radio. It was our wedding song. We looked at each other and said, "Unbelievable." Then the real estate agent we spoke to showed us a model named the Argyle. Another coincidence?

Near the Villas we came upon a beautiful park that I immediately recognized as the place where we had our wedding pictures taken. It was Argyle Lake Park in Babylon. We said, "This is no coincidence; this has to be fate."

Today we are happily living at the Narragansett Villas and celebrated our 40th anniversary on the very spot where we started our life together. We have come full circle and have enjoyed every bit of the journey with love, good times and laughter.

Jimmy was a driver for a liquor distributor in Queens before he retired in 2007. I retired in 2011 as accounting manager with Kingscote Freight Inc. in the Inwood section of Manhattan.

We are very blessed to have each other as well as two wonderful daughters. They recently gave us a big surprise 40th anniversary party at Villa Monaco in West Islip with all of our family and friends. Jimmy and I also celebrated with a trip west to visit Mount Rushmore, and Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.

This past June our future son-in-law proposed to our youngest daughter at Argyle Park on the same steps where we stood 40 years ago. This was not a coincidence; I do believe it was fate.