(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Time now for StoryCorps. Heading into Valentine's weekend, we have a love story that began in college in 1939. Lyle Gittens is 108. His wife, Eleanor, is 107. They talked about their lives together at their home in Miami with their daughter, Angela.
ANGELA GITTENS: How did you two meet?
ELEANOR GITTENS: We met in college. One night, I went to a basketball game where he was the star player. So I noticed him. And after that, he passed by me on the campus. And there was a saying at the time, you're my SP - my secret passion. So he passed by me and said, you're my SP. And one time, he was dancing the way they danced in Harlem.
A GITTENS: So, Daddy, what kind of dancing was that?
LYLE GITTENS: The Lindy.
A GITTENS: Oh, the Lindy.
E GITTENS: I didn't know how to dance that way.
L GITTENS: She's a goody two-shoes.
E GITTENS: What did he say?
A GITTENS: He says you're a goody two-shoes.
E GITTENS: Well, that's what they all called me all my life.
A GITTENS: Tell me about your wedding. And how did it happen?
L GITTENS: She was in the graduating class. It was 1941.
E GITTENS: One.
L GITTENS: And it occurred to me that I would never see her again. I didn't want to lose this girl. I sort of panicked, and with nothing to offer her, I asked her to marry me. She, to my great delight, said yes. I've been lucky. I look upon us as the princess and the pauper. And the princess and the pauper prevail so far for 83 years.
A GITTENS: And what is the secret to your marriage?
E GITTENS: I say you have to like the person as well as love. I think liking is even more important.
L GITTENS: There's really no secret. You just live. You live every day, and you become almost one person.
A GITTENS: So what is your proudest achievement?
L GITTENS: You.
(LAUGHTER)
A GITTENS: Well, I accept that.
(LAUGHTER)
A GITTENS: Is there anything you would like to add?
L GITTENS: Yeah. I love my wife.
E GITTENS: I love him.
(SOUNDBITE OF GEOFFREY GASCOYNE'S "THINKING OF YOU")
FADEL: Lyle and Eleanor Gittens hold the Guinness Record for the world's oldest living married couple. They spoke with their daughter, Angela, for StoryCorp's Brightness in Black Project. It's archived in the Library of Congress.
(SOUNDBITE OF GEOFFREY GASCOYNE'S "THINKING OF YOU") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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