Milton : My name is Milton. I was born in the Bronx in July 4th, 1924.
Phyllis : My name when I was born was Phyllis Bly. I was born in Rockville Center, Long Island, in November 13th on a Friday the 13th, 1925. My father died when I was two. I had two older sisters.
Milton : I had three sisters. I was the only boy in the family. I was a fairly good student, and I graduated from high school in 1939 and went to college.
Phyllis : My teacher wanted me to go to college, but my mother said that was not possible. I had to go to work. I met Milton in 1940, and I was 15 years old. Milton’s friend was playing in a band; he liked me and asked Milton to bring me to the dance. We were bored, so we left and went for a long, long walk. It was a nice night, and we took a very long walk, about six hours, I would say.
Milton : She was interesting, intelligent, and very beautiful, and I was hooked.
Phyllis : I didn’t fall in love with him that night. City College had a boat ride down the Hudson, and Milton called and asked me if I’d like to go, and I said sure. It was very pretty night. And we’re up on the deck, and he says, “I’m gonna marry you.” And I looked at the sky, and I said, “What?” That was our first date.
Milton : That wasn’t our first date. It was the second one. Actually, the first date, we went to The Strand, which was the movie house of the day. That was the first date.
Phyllis : I fell in love with Milton as time continued. After we dated for two years, he had to go into the army.
Milton : After training. I returned home for a week, and we were married.
Phyllis : Shortly after we were married, Milton was sent to Europe to fight the war. I felt very frightened and very upset.
Milton : I wrote her a few letters, but I didn’t want to tell her everything about the war. It was a war, and it was lousy.
Phyllis : The letters were very important to me; I still have them.
Milton : When the army let me go, t called Phyllis and told her I was coming home and to meet me at the train station. I come into Pennsylvania Station, and I was walking around looking for her, and, suddenly, someone jumped on my back, and it was Phyllis. Our first child was born in 1951, and the other two were born in the 1950s.
Phyllis : I started college at 49 years of age. When I was 55, I finally received my degree and continued in graduate school. When he said he was going to marry me, I thought he was a little crazy. But he was right. We’ve had a very, very good marriage.
Milton : We have six grandchildren, five boys and one girl.
Phyllis : We are still very happy now, and our marriage keeps getting better and better.
Milton : I think we’re much happier now than we’ve ever been, and we keep getting, and being, happy.