This is just one small segment of a very special Love Story, the segment that centers on the planning for our 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan.

This Love Story is not so much about each individual event, but is really about the miraculous tying together of each detail leading to the inescapable summation:

on’t remember which... Mom was fiddling in the kitchen ... maybe she was grooming a dog. What I do remember is that I was seated at my desk thinking “Oh My God, I better get cracking on our 50th Wedding Anniversary”.

I tried my very best to not tell Nancy and for the most part I succeeded until three weeks before our departure from Marquette because of her dog grooming business. Depart to where ... to Comerica Park, of course, to watch our favorite team (hopefully) beat up the Chicago White Sox the weekend of May 4, 5, 6.

Some minor details ... (a) baseball game tickets (b) hotel reservations (c) plane reservations and (d) restaurant reservations ... oh don’t forget (e) how to get 50 long stem roses into the house without your nosey Mother finding out.

So, I called up the Ticket Office. Not knowing if anyone would even answer the darn phone during the off-season, I dialed and some young man answered the phone ... his first name was Mike. I hastily told him my goal to attend the three games, May 4th through May 6th. Mike explained “No problem, but could I please call back the end of March when hopefully the tickets would be printed?” Mike assured me he would take care of it ... he would get me the seats I wanted -- up a tad and right behind the Tigers’ Dugout, on the 1st base side.

I found out about the Atheneum which someone stated was the ONLY hotel for such an occasion ... a “whopping” 2 blocks from Comerica Park (which, BTW, is literally across from Ford Field where the Lions play).

So, I called their front desk and was told to call back when I was absolutely certain of the Tigers tickets. I said that I did not wish to wait, rather than be told later the room would not be available that weekend. They promised me I could cancel without penalty up to one week before the firm reservation. Reservations done.

Next I called Northwest Airlines, confirmed what their Web Site listed as their available R/T seats, leaving May 4th and returning May 7th. I deliberately did not make reservations until the game tickets were confirmed because if the baseball tickets fell through I would be stuck with the airline tickets.

Next, I called one of the florists in Marquette to see if they could put together 50 long stem roses, 5 colors, 10 each and how much notice did they need. They said to give them about 2 weeks and delivery would be assured ... 2 GLASS vases, with 25 roses each, 5 roses of each color in each vase. 5 red, 5 white, 5 orange and white, 5 purple and 5 pink.

Okay ... everything written down but I’m a basket case ... nervous as Hell, but happy.

id March arrived, so I called the Ticket Office at Comerica Park. Mike still answered the phone and surprisingly told me that the tickets were not quite printed yet but to NOT WORRY because he would PERSONALLY ATTEND TO THEM. He took my Plastic Number and we parted company.

What ... me worry ?!@#?

BTW, I told Mike to scrub May 4th because Nancy and I would have gotten up at 2 AM in Marquette and that night’s game did not start until 7 PM

lmost the middle of April and I was “jumping through my skin” because NO tickets. I quickly called the blasted Ticket Office and another young man answered. I explained my heightened anxiety. He quickly responded that if Mike stated he would mail the tickets, he would DEFINITELY mail me the tickets. He then added “Oh by the way, John, do you know who Mike is?” I replied “Not ...” “The grandson (Mike) of the OWNER of the Detroit Tigers, Mike Ilitch SENIOR.” I then picked myself up from the floor.

I could have planned all this to happen ... NOT!!!

Tickets in the bag, so I firmly booked the R/T pair of airplane tickets.

Called the florist and ordered the 50 roses to be delivered one week before departure so your Mother could enjoy them prior to going ... so, how to get them into the house? That remained my problem ... the florist had to be able to tell me the day before precisely when the roses would be delivered so “You Know Who” wasn’t around ... GOOD LUCK!!!

Anyway, in the meantime, a friend of ours treated us to a Gift Certificate to our favorite restaurant ... the Outback steakhouse. I called them and made reservations for noon, Friday, May 4th and explained the special occasion. Talked with the owner and he got all excited ... what do you call me at this point? ... a basket case.

The FLOWERS were delivered on April 27th ... ended up telling your Mother to go into the bedroom and close the door and not peek. Not very romantic, but she would NOT run any errand.

“Honey, don’t you need some mayonnaise or something?”

or Heaven’s sake, we’ve arrived ... D-DAY. Nancy and I got up at 2 AM, went to the airport and arrived at Detroit Metro around 8:30 AM ... found a Taxi to the Atheneum.

We threw our suitcases into the room and found the same Taxi to take us to the Outback restaurant. The Taxi driver insisted he be our personal chauffeur while in Detroit.

The owner of the Outback greeted us and we ordered the house-sized burger and “bumbling” onion rings. We groaned and moaned our way through the last bite.

One SUPER large “doggie bag” later Nancy and I catch a Taxi from the Outback back to the Atheneum ... unpacked some clothes and walked the 2 blocks to Comerica Park.

First we peeked around Ford Field ... hey, the Souvenir Shops were open. Back to Comerica Park and we took forever going over every item in their Souvenir Shops.

We “accidentally” started a conversation with a perfect stranger (at that point, everyone there was a perfect stranger) who identified himself as the Manager in Charge of Comerica Park Guest Services. He was very interested in our visit to his ballpark. He said “Mr. Love, I want you here tomorrow (Saturday) at 9:30 AM ... I’ve got a small surprise for you.”

Back to the Atheneum for a bit ... we decided that we would go back to Comerica Park that night for the 7:00 PM game even though we did not have tickets.

YOU READY BOYS AND GIRLS ...

We were hanging over the fence over which we saw the Pitcher’s Mound ... a lady walked up and said “Sir, I have a free pair of tickets you can have ... we won’t be able to stay”.

I could have planned all this to happen ... NOT!!!

TART OF THE DAY

For breakfast that wonderful morning, we ordered for Room Service the exact same breakfast we had in New York City exactly 50 years ago.

We finally showed up at the ballpark at 9:30 AM as requested and were escorted by the Manager of Comerica Park Guest Services to the Guest Services office. Their Manager said to his Staff “Take care of Mr. and Mrs. Love”.

We were presented with a special Plaque commerating our first visit to Commerica Park and our 50th Anniversary.

I could have planned all this to happen ... NOT!!!

Saturday was Photo Day ... lookee

This really canNOT be real ... we’re in Heaven, we just have to be!

Very hot day ... sun beating down even on our “dream seats”.

A member of the Park staff came up to us and asked if we would like to move up a few rows where there was shade (and a more clear unobstructed view OVER the Dugout).

I could have planned all this to happen ... NOT!!!

unday, 9:00 A.M. Went to Mass at a Church a block-and-a-half from the Atheneum. Walked in and sat down at a pew close to the Communion Rail. Then, I spotted him ... Nancy did not. Seated in the pew about 10 feet from us.

Alex Avila, the catcher for the Detroit Tigers, and his Dad, the Assistant General Manager and a Vice President of the Detroit Tigers. Right there - not 10 feet from us.

I gently tapped on Nancy’s shoulder and simply pointed ... her jaws dropped “to South America”.

After Mass, Nancy did not even bother with anything except running and screaming through the parking lot of the Church, “Alex, Alex!”. I really think Nancy started yelling before she left the Church. Anyway, we caught up with him, both of us out of breath. Alex was so, so polite and really took an interest in our celebration of 50 married years.

I could have planned all this to happen ... NOT!!!

Well ... onto the 1:00 PM game.