She is petite, with bangs and a gray bob. He’s tall, slim and gentlemanly.

They’re both attentive listeners. Eyes sparkling. Sincere. Curious.

One orders shrimp, the other chicken, as they sit close to one another.

“I’m 83,” she says. “I’m 85,” he adds.

They’ve been together for about 10 years.

“We met in the ICU waiting room,” she says.

“Our spouses were both being cared for there,” he says.

“They died within three days of one another,” she says.

“Yes, three days,” he says.

"We bonded in our grief,” she says. “We’d get pizza and cry."

They both give a wan smile.

"And we’d share the stories of our departed,” he says.

“We both know everything about the other…”

She nods affirmatively, then her eyes are shining.

"Stories are a wonderful thing,” she says.