Bob and Terry Black re-enact their first meeting when she was a teller at Guaranty Bank in Worcester, 35 years ago.

Photo Credit: Daniel Castro

Photo Credit:

HOLDEN, Mass. — In his 1941 story on love for Esquire magazine, J.D. Salinger wrote, " the only real difficulty in concocting a boy meets girl story is that, somehow, he must", otherwise the story becomes about a day just like any other.

Without that first introduction, brought about by whatever coincidence or happenstance the day initiates, or sudden measure of nerve or courage a person can muster, the ensuing years of romance would have never flourished, and the shared memories of happiness could have never formed. 

In movies, this crucial moment is referred to as the meet-cute, and today TheDailyHolden celebrates such love at first sight, and looks back at the real events that led to true, local stories of happily ever after.

For Terry Black, of Holden, the moment came on a day like any other, once upon a time 35 years ago.

In those days, she was working as a teller at the Guaranty Bank in Worcester, and so as usual was going about her duties helping customers as they slipped their deposits and withdrawal requests through the window, processing each transaction just as she normally would.

At the time, Terry was not looking for love. Far from it, in fact, as previous to her work at the bank, she had been a nun for 22 years. Though now out of the convent, she was was still in no rush to get swept off her feet.

But on that day in the city, there were other plans afoot, and unbeknownst to Terry, romance was next in line to see her. 

Bob Black had actually noticed Terry before, and as he visited the bank to pick up his paychecks, he became more and more enamored by the woman behind the window. Yet each time he went in, he didn't work up the nerve to ask her out. 

Yet this time, it would be different, and as he approached the teller window, without a word Bob slipped a piece of paper to Terry that was unlike any other she had received.

The little note read "If you're not married, how about a date? See you Wednesday."

Terry was stunned.

"I looked down at the note, looked at him, looked at the note again, then looked at him and I said, "sure, why not?"

Those words eventually brought the pair to Leo Turo's on Shrewsbury Street for their first date, where they got to know each other.

Bob recalled: "I said, tell me something about yourself, while I was taking a drink from a bottle of beer, and she said, 'I was in the convent for 22 years.' — I almost swallowed the bottle."

Three months later, they were married.

"It was the best thing that ever happened to me, I'll tell you that," said Bob.

The couple lived in Worcester until 13 years ago, when they moved to the Colony Retirement Homes on Reservoir St. in Holden. Together, they help at the senior center with its nutrition program, as Terry is the nutrition site manager, and Bob delivers Meals on Wheels.

Along the way, the couple has kept their love going strong, which Bob attributes to listening his wife.

"If it weren't for her, I'd probably be in jail," he admitted.

While Bob had been a heavy drinker and smoker at one time, one day Terry had had enough, and expressed that she didn't like the way he became when he drank.

"It was either me or the beer," she had said.

Faced with the ultimatum, Bob says he hasn't had a drink in 22 years, and doesn't miss it.

Through hard times, the two have been there to support each other.

When Bob's son from a former marriage died, for instance, Terry was there to help him through it.

And of course, in their years together they have also shared much joy.

"We've gone on several trips together," said Terry. "We've taken long trips, and by car, so it made the trip feel just a little bit longer."

In fact, one particular long trip was much longer than it had to be — though the lovebirds barely knew it.

When visiting Bob's son in Indianapolis after a wedding, the two drove along together for hours as they made their way to his home.

While they thought they were making good time, later that evening Bob's son called and said, "Where are you?"

"We're in Indianapolis," Bob said.

"What are you doing, walking?" his son replied.

As it turned out, the two had been driving in a big long loop, going around and around five times before realizing they were lost.

"Now that we think about it it was funny," said Terry. "But it just kept us together that much longer, going around in circles," she said.

Together, time flew just like that, and a few weeks ago, the Blacks celebrated their 35th anniversary.

What advice does the pair have for young couples today?

"Be kind to another," Terry said. "And be truthful, I think that's where it all stands. Don't hide anything, just be yourself, and respect each other. And we do respect each other."

How did you meet your significant other? What was the most romantic moment in your relationship? Add your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below.

Holden Resident Liz Helder, for example, met her husband Mark while giving blood at the Red Cross.  

"He was on the table next to me," she explained.

Even though she really couldn't see him, the two struck up conversation, and  talked about food the entire time.

"And when I sat up, he asked me out to lunch," she said.  "We've been married 20 years and we're still talking about food."