LYNN & MO
Lynn and Mo began their lifelong friendship when Mo met the Long Island Train from Manhattan in the summer of 1969. In their twenties, they had each just relocated to New York City – from Toronto and San Francisco, respectively – with their spouses.
“Our husbands worked for the same company, which had rented a large house in Hampton Bay for its executives and families to escape to on summer weekends.”
When Mo arrived at the train to greet weekend guests, Lynn was the first to disembark, her fresh white linen attire covered in diesel train ash. Mo recalls saying to her, “Well, that’s the last time you’ll wear white on a commuter train!” Both still chuckle about that first meeting, which set off their friendship.
They soon realized they were not only pregnant but that they had, independently of each other, landed at the same posh Park Avenue Ob-Gyn, who went on to deliver Lynn’s daughter and Mo’s son some months later.
In the 1970s, both families left New York, but they stayed in touch through the communication media of the times: celebratory greeting cards. “When we didn’t see each other, we heard about each other,” adds Lynn.
It wasn’t until 1983 that the moms, both now divorced, reunited in Calgary where Lynn was living with her children, and Mo was stopping over on a cross-Canada rail trip. A fun day at the Calgary Stampede reconnected them and their kids.
In the 1990s, when they had each landed in Vancouver, Lynn and Mo were both working on their master’s degrees at UBC, while holding down full-time educator professions. “That experience really bonded us,” they say. “We were each other’s social life and sole companion during that year-and-a-half of hard work.”
Now in their 70s and well into retirement, the two live half a block from each other in Vancouver. “Only our mechanic is between us,” says Lynn, referring to his business address between their homes.
Mo and Lynn regularly see each other and continue to share good times: exchanging books, hosting social events, and helping their neighbours.
“It’s just so much fun the way it all started,” laughs Mo, as they both giggle at the memory of Lynn arriving in such a state, 52 years ago.
399 views