It was 1961 in the middle class Jewish neighborhood of Mill Basin in Brooklyn. Arlene was thirteen years old, and a constant presence when her fourteen-year-old older sister Roz, was hanging with her gang of friends. Roz was going out with Mike. Mickey and Mike were best friends, so wherever Mike was, so was Mickey.

One day, Arlene decided to go up to Mickey and talk to him. He took one look at her and said “Flake off!” But that didn’t deter Arlene, and over the next couple of years, she still thought he was cute. She wasn’t going to give up that easily! Now, Mickey was a nice, good boy – a mensch people would say – but he was also painfully shy. Once, when Arlene tried to hold Mickey’s hand during a walk on the beach, he jumped away from her “like he was on fire.” Nevertheless, they remained friends.

Cut to 1963 and Aunt Roz’s Sweet Sixteen party. That was the night when something more began to develop. The party had long ended, and Mickey was lingering around, helping to clean up. Everyone was convinced it was because he wanted to be near Arlene.

By this time, Mickey had graduated and was attending Brooklyn College, studying to be a teacher. At sixteen, Arlene was graduating high school early and going off to Hunter College.

FUN FACT: Arlene wanted to join the Navy because she liked the Naval Nurse uniforms.

But she was convinced to go to Nursing School first, and the rest is gynecological history.