Matchmaker Matchmaker
Connecticut
May 1966
Miriam Lyman had finally convinced her son to have his little family join Miriam and David that summer in the place up in the Catskills they'd all frequented before Noah had gotten married. They had only gone as a family once after Joanie had been born and Miriam was eager to have the whole family go on vacation together after several years of everyone making their own plans. Now Miriam had her mind set on convincing her daughter-in-law's cousin to join them on the trip as well.
"Felix, I absolutely insist that you come along. A handsome man like you, you'll have no trouble finding nice girls, and who knows maybe it might lead to a more permanent arrangement," Miriam said, emphasizing 'permanent arrangement' with a dramatic raise of her right eyebrow.
Miriam considered Felix a good-looking and charming man, certainly he had his flaws but what man didn't. Miriam was convinced that the solution for what flaws he did have would be for him to settle down. There wasn't much to his life apart from work (and the gambling) that she knew of, along with the time spent with Noah and Ada's children out of extreme devotion Ada's little family. Though Felix's devotion to Ada and the children endeared him to Miriam, she was convinced that he needed a family of his own, surely that would rid him of the sadness that Miriam sometimes saw reflected in his blue eyes and perhaps soften the hard angles of his face, she thought. Being a bachelor was fine and dandy but he was nearing forty, in her opinion he'd had enough years of doing as he pleased when he pleased, it was time for family and companionship.
Miriam had heard things about Felix taking up with Marguerite Esterhazy, a twice-divorced widow who lived in Westport. But Marguerite was older than Felix and from what Miriam knew it wasn't serious between them, how could it be when he had been seeing her for what must have been nearly 10 years and he hadn't put a ring on her finger.
Besides, Marguerite had been baptized Roman Catholic. Miriam had heard rumors that she had a Jewish grandmother but what did it matter to Miriam if Marguerite had a Jewish grandparent and wasn't a practicing Catholic if she hadn't converted back to Judaism and didn't live a Jewish life; Miriam had nothing against Ms. Esterhazy personally but Felix needed a nice Jewish wife so that they could have nice Jewish children. Even if the woman converted, at her age and with three husbands and no children it made Miriam wonder if Felix would be able to have a family with her at all.
Surely there would be a girl at the resort that he would take a liking to, maybe one of those college graduate girls that, years after graduation, were still unmarried; Felix would like a smart girl, Miriam thought. And Felix was quite a catch in Miriam's eyes, apart from the good looks and charm he had a college degree and had a very good job at his uncle's architecture firm and made good money. Any Jewish mother would be thrilled to have him as a son-in-law if he managed to curb a few of his habits, habits Miriam was certain he would abandon once he was no longer a bachelor.
"Why not, Miriam, I think I need a change of scenery this Summer," Felix replied.
This was exactly what Miriam had wanted to hear.
"Oh how wonderful, you won't regret going! You'll have a good time and I'm sure the children will enjoy having you around. But don't worry," she added quickly. "There will be plenty for them to do so they won't be monopolizing your time if you want to go off and do things on your own."
Felix could hear a wink and a nudge in her voice.