Centenarians meet up at birthday celebration
He arrived in a suit and tie, with three long stemmed red roses in hand.
She wore a tiara to mark the occasion.
Rachel Lehmann invited Bill Hargrove, 104, as her date to her 102nd birthday party, held at the Atlanta Opera rehearsal hall in Midtown.
After all, it's not everyday you turn 102 and get to meet a dashing 104-year-old potential suitor.
When 104-year-old bowler and Clermont resident Bill Hargrove hugged hello to Atlanta Opera volunteer Rachel Rosen Lehmann at her birthday bash Wednesday, he slyly whispered, "I walked in here looking for an old lady. But I couldn't find one."
Lehmann first expressed interest in seeking out a date with Hargrove after reading a profile of him in the AJC Sports section in March. Digits and then phone calls were exchanged and after a couple of cancellations due to bouts of bad health, the couple finally met face to face.
During the party at the opera's rehearsal hall in Midtown, Hargrove was introduced to about 75 of Lehmann's well-wishers as a musician who had played trumpet under the direction of Glenn Miller during World War II.
Cracked Lehmann: "I was just a plain old WAC [Women's Army Corps] but I was a sergeant in the WAC. So I can give orders. You might be older than me but you'd better behave, dahlink!"
The pair then sat down to a lunch of salmon, rice salad and asparagus spears. They held hands and laughed as they exchanged war stories.
Not even well-wishers could interrupt the birthday girl's scheduled alone time with Hargrove.
As Hargrove chatted with guests, a tiara-sporting Lehmann playfully interjected, suggesting to him, "There's entertainment and cake scheduled, you'd best begin eating."
And like any 104-year-old guy wise beyond his years, Hargrove listened to the lady.
Later, Lehmann's great niece and "Grease" actress Didi Conn, who flew in from New York for the occasion, helped lead a sing-a-long of "Hundred Two," a fresh take on the old Ray Henderson standard, "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue."
The lyrics, written specifically for Lehmann's party by David Shire, Conn's Oscar and Tony Award winning composer husband, wittily recounted Lehmann and Hargrove's recent history: "She learned a Guy With Soul/Still Loved to Bowl/At Hundred and Three/Called Him Up/Told That Pup/ 'Dahlink, Time You Bowled With Me!'"
Later Hargrove told the crowd, 'I was so pleased to hear from Rachel. At this time in our lives, we're always looking for new friends because the ones we had are gone. I appreciate Rachel more than she knows."
Taking his hand, Lehmann responded: "This could be the start of a beautiful friendship. Right, Bill?"
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