Love Story: Sandy and Michael Leibowitz

Sandy Leibowitz of Plainview recalls the conditions husband Michael had to meet before they wed.

As a teenager I came to New York with my parents, who emigrated from London. In 1959 we were living in Valley Stream, and I was working at Charles of the Ritz in Manhattan. There I made friends with Thea, who decided to introduce me to Mike, her husband's fraternity brother. At first he declined, but after several months he asked to meet me.

When Thea told him I was returning to England in six weeks, Mike replied, "I don't want to marry her, I just want to meet her."

A double date was set up, and we met under the clock at Flushing station in Queens. I was 17, and Mike was 21. He still remembers the emerald green outfit I wore and my very red hair. He thought I was very sophisticated. We hit it off right away.

Mike asked me out again two days later. We went out for Chinese food, which I had never eaten before, but we were both too anxious and excited to eat.

The day we left for London, Mike came down to see us off on the SS United States. My father said he was welcome to visit us in London (of course, never expecting Mike to take him up on the offer). As soon as the boat sailed, Mike went to apply for a passport.

He missed his graduation at Queens College and ended up spending most of the summer in London, staying with my parents while I lived with my grandparents. By the end of the summer we were pretty serious.

After Mike went home we corresponded every day. He asked my parents if I could come back to New York. They told him he had to purchase a round-trip ticket and an engagement ring before I could go, never expecting him to comply with these conditions. But Mike did, saving every penny for the next few months.

On Jan. 24, 1960, I returned to New York and lived with his parents while Mike served in the Army Reserves for six months, coming home on weekends. I worked as a secretary on Madison Avenue until we returned to London for our wedding on Dec. 24, 1961.

After a three-week honeymoon in Majorca and Paris we returned to New York. Mike attended the City College of New York at night and got his engineering degree. We moved to Plainview, where we raised our three children.

Mike retired from the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in 1993 and now works part time as an engineer for a home inspection company in Commack. I work part time as an office manager for a pediatric surgeon.

We enjoy spending time with our six grandchildren and adventure travel to destinations such as Africa and Europe. We plan to go to China this year to celebrate our 50th anniversary.