This has got to be one of the saddest love stories of all time. John was in love with Verda. Actually he had not even met her, he had seen her from across the room, but she mesmerized him. He had not even talked to her, but she was so beautiful, and vibrant, she just glowed. He had to find a way to meet her.
John was the choir director at a large church and he learned that she was staying with an aunt that was in the choir. She would sit in the back and observe their practice but he had never even seen her up close. He spoke to her aunt after one rehearsal and begged to meet Verda. Her aunt promised to arrange a meeting.
The aunt introduced them and they became quick friends and Verda even joined the choir. They became very close and John began thinking of how he might propose. But something was standing in the way. John felt like a failure, that he would never aspire to the dreams he had for his future.
How would he explain to a wife that he was a failure and would never amount to anything. This began to eat on him, and Verda interpreted this to mean that he had waining interest in her. She told John that she was moving back home to Vienna. Back home she met and married a young man by the name of Arthur Fabor. John and Verda kept in touch through the years and there was always a bond between them. John actually liked Arthur because he was a good man.
John had always wanted to write a love song to Verda and now he had an opportunity. She and Arthur had a baby boy and John would write a song for the boy, which was actually a love song to Verda.
“Lullaby and good night, thy mother’s delight
Lay me down now and rest Lullaby and good night”
The guy from Hamburg, Germany that let a little Viennese girl, the love of his life slip away, did become famous. He needn’t have worried that he would amount to something. Johannes Brahms is one of our all-time great composers.
I’ve told you that in college one of the required courses was a music appreciation class. I guess you had to be well rounded. I still can’t stand long haired music, but once in awhile I find something that even I like. If you’ve ever suffered unrequited love, you know how painful it can be. If you never received a Dear John letter you are fortunate.
The question remains did John ever get married? Perhaps we can address this the next time we meet.
—Jim Neuhouser
