This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Solomon Rosenblatt and his matchmaker, Brigitte Weil. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I was married for 69 years to a wonderful woman who was a partner, wife, and a tremendous support in every way. Vicky was a concert pianist from Egypt and spoke five languages. She lit up my very straight, technical, engineer’s life. Since she died in 2023, my days have been gray.
That’s why I hired a matchmaker to help me find love again at 96. I miss the company of a woman: someone to talk to, wake up beside, and fall asleep next to. When I wake up alone in an empty apartment, it really starts the day off on a downer.
Finding love at this age is a hard job, but I figured I’m going to do everything possible to find a companion who can help fill some of the blank spaces in my life.
I’m not looking to travel, but I still love concerts
I’m looking for someone I really like, not just someone to fill the time. She should be nice to look at, and if she’s Jewish like me, that would be extra comfortable, though religion isn’t a dealbreaker.
Since hiring the matchmaker, I’ve been on dates and met some wonderful women who like the same things I do: concerts, theater, dinners out, and trips to the museum. Who wouldn’t like a life filled with those things?
But many of them are independent. They have their routine, and some are still interested in traveling. At my age, I’m looking for someone who is comfortable spending time together at home, holding hands. My days of traveling are behind me, but maybe we call a car to take us to a jazz performance downtown.
Courtesy of Solomon Rosenblatt
On dates, I talk about the past more than the future
I never really dated Vicky. We met at a party in 1953, and I immediately knew she was someone I wanted to be with. We took long walks on the boardwalk in Rockaway, even in the wintertime, no matter what the weather.
We talked our souls out until we really, really understood each other. Then, we’d go to a little Chinese restaurant, and continue the conversation about our hopes and aspirations. I married her four months after we met. We had three kids — who are now near retirement themselves — and were incredibly happy.
Nearly 70 years later, I still take my dates to Chinese food, but these days it’s for lunch instead of dinner. The conversations are different. I open up by asking them about their history — and they have 70 or 80 years to tell me about. Instead of looking forward, we spend more time talking about the past.
I’m still curious at 96
Anyone who is my age and still productive — let alone looking for love — is a curiosity. I think that’s why people are fascinated by my story.
After Vicky died, I felt I was just treading water. I knew I needed to find my next project, and I ended up finding two. I just finished writing a book about my life. There’s a lot hidden in my head, and when I write it just pours out. I’m also working on new patents for bandages, adding to the more than a dozen patents I already hold.
I was born curious. It’s just my nature, and I’ve accepted it as my fate. I’m not a baseball or sports fan — I get my kicks from creating something that can help someone. While my energy has lessened with age, my curiosity hasn’t. I hope I find the right woman to share that curiosity with me in my last few years.
