In December 1978, when I had been working at the new Stouffer’s Inn in White Plains for about a year, I came into work one Monday morning to find a briefcase on my desk.
“Whose briefcase is this?” I asked my co-workers, but they didn’t know. They said it might belong to the new guy, George Latimer, who had just been hired by the director of sales.
In the fall of 1979, a female coworker asked me if I’d go out with someone who was interested. Curious, I wanted more info, but she wouldn’t tell me who it was. I had just broken up with a boyfriend and said, “OK — let’s see how it goes.”
While I was at the copier one day, George came by and started chatting. He seemed nervous, and asked me out. I had started a folk mass at Corpus Christi Church in Port Chester and told him it would only work if he would meet me afterward. What a way to start a date! He was a good sport, and came for the whole Mass.
Afterward, we went to Little Dick’s, a now-demolished bar near the Port Chester train station with great music. He also had just ended a long-term relationship. We wound up across the street, sitting on the train platform just talking for hours. We both felt a spark, but because we had just ended relationships and our company frowned on relationships between coworkers, we were cautious. So, we stayed below the radar; George would leave little messages on my windshield under the wiper and we would have lunch together with a mutual friend to deter rumors.
Five months later, George was promoted and transferred to Valley Forge, Pa. At his farewell party, we walked in hand in hand — the secret was out! George vowed to make the trip north on weekends, and for over two years he traveled 135 miles by car and train to spend weekends with me in Rye.
We were engaged in April 1981 and married in Rye in May 1982. We lived in Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Ohio, and then we faced a crossroads. In early 1985, George was offered a job in Atlanta. We decided we wanted to be near family in Rye so George found work in Manhattan and became active in the Rye community. Our daughter was born that year.
From there, we know the story — George began what became his second career: Rye City Council member, county legislator, chairman of the county board, state assemblyman, state senator, county executive, and now congressman.
Who could foresee what would come of a simple date between two kids all those years ago?
—Robin Latimer (married to George)
