The Piano Bar, Lou Holtz and Me

My boyfriend went to Notre Dame. We were super close for our last year of high school and all through college. Notre Dame was his life. Getting in. Being part of that prestigious institution. He was CRAZY about the football team, and idolized the much revered coach, Lou Holtz.

I went to a state school in upstate NY.

We wrote letters constantly. I got at least two a week from him. He probably got more from me.

It’d have been foolish to do so, but if he’d asked me, I would have married him. I was head over heels. We were way to immature to be that serious. His plans for the future never seemed to include me and it hurt my feelings. I worried maybe he didn’t think I was good enough for him, with his fancy Notre Dame education. I had a lot of inner work ahead of me to do.  

At some point when I was around 21 or 22, I decided I’d rather be alone, than feel lonely inside the relationship. We broke up, both of us heartbroken, but hoping it was for the best.

It was.

Today I am so glad things turned out how they did. If you’ve read this blog for any amount of time, you know I married the right guy. Me and Mr. Notre Dame are in touch very occasionally,via e-mail. It is nice to keep up with him once every year or two. He got married for the second time a couple of years ago and I was very happy for him.

That being said, I cannot help but gloat.

On the cruise, who should I run into in the piano bar than the former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz.  

Tentatively, I approached him and said,

“Hello Mr. Holtz. I could make an ex-boyfriend very jealous if I got a photo with you.” 

He smiled and said, “Sure! I’d be glad to!” 

He was wearing a neck brace, (he’d recently had surgery he told me) and he gingerly took it off for the occasion.  

Looking around, he took my camera and handed it to a young man standing nearby, and asked him to take the picture. 

As he put his arm around me for the photo, I stammered, “He went to Notre Dame. The ex-boyfriend.”   
 
Lou Holtz looked at me, all charm, and said, “He must not have been very smart.”
 
I couldn’t believe it! Was he dissing Notre Dame? It seemed unthinkable for him to do so!  
 
Then he grinned and added,  
 
“He let you get away.”  

I’m sorry to be so petty. We broke up, like, twenty years ago…but to have the ex’s idol call him “not very smart?” 

I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make my day.