It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while we meet someone and there is instant chemistry and a new friendship blooms.

That was the case for me when I met my new friend Andy. I knew Andy and his wife, Pauline, had an interesting story to share, so I set up an interview, even though I had never met them before.Andy went for 60 years before he met someone he wanted to marry. It was a good deed on his part that brought Pauline into his life. Andy has a pontoon boat he uses to travel the 26 canals in his community.“Most boaters think they have to have a destination. What about just getting out there to relax, take in nature and enjoy the stunning scenery at a leisurely pace?” he said.To help people know the waterways in what amounts to our backyards, Andy offers to take people for rides on his pontoon boat. Although Pauline lived only one street away from him and they were practically neighbors for 12 years, they had never met — not until she was a passenger on one of his pontoon rides.She looked at him, he looked at her and each saw something they liked. It was definitely instant chemistry that quickly grew stronger. The guy who waited 60 years to find his perfect partner didn’t waste time making his intentions known. Within five months of meeting, they were married.But they didn’t have very long for “happily ever after.” Life turned into the worst of times when Andy was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer.Chemo and radiation treatments made it difficult for him to eat or talk. Then chemo damaged his kidneys to the point where it was touch and go for a while.“Without a doubt I would have given up and died if it weren’t for Pauline,” Andy affirms. Having Pauline’s love and care kept his spirits up while he struggled with the debilitating effects of his cancer treatment.I know what he was going through because I lived through it with my late husband, also named Andy. I know how the cancer treatments make it impossible to eat or even to swallow without pain.Our community has its own Facebook page, and soon we all were all rooting for Andy, who was uncommonly candid about what he was going through.Then one day I read his good news. He finally felt good enough to go out with friends. A short while later he was able to go back to work for a few hours at a time.It was then that I asked Andy to share his story with readers. When I went to do the interview, it was instant chemistry kicking in. I realized Andy was exceptionally genuine.I was also impressed with the new bride who wouldn’t let him give up, even when the pain was so bad he admitted he wanted to die.All her loving care and Andy’s struggles paid off when Andy’s doctor called with three magical words: “You’re cancer free.”I cried with happiness at that news because by then I was one of their many friends.In a few weeks our community is throwing a big party for everyone to come celebrate with the couple. They are the kind of genuine people who touch people’s hearts, and his recovery is something the entire community wants to celebrate.But Andy is the first to admit some of his present friends were once turned off by him. Exceptionally bright and community-minded, he had ideas for how to make our homeowners’ association better. Well, you know what happens when someone comes along with new ideas. There’s often resistance and sometimes resentment.Andy got himself elected to the board of directors where he truly did come up with ideas that have made our community better. Even those who opposed him at first now have drawn close to him.The other night my husband and I were on one of Andy’s pontoon trips through the canals. When we passed one home, Andy said it belongs to his friend.“I thought you two didn’t like each other,” said another passenger.Genuine Andy had a genuine answer: “Lots of time we think we don’t like certain people. But when we give them a chance, we find much to admire in them,” he said.I’m telling you about that conversation because I think many of us are guilty of not giving people a chance. We see something we dislike in someone and we close our minds, writing them off as not very worthwhile.Andy says we all do that at one time or another. I think he’s right. I know it’s happened to me. People I disliked proved to be really nice after I got to know them.Just the other day a friend admitted he once strongly disliked the guy who is now his best buddy. “There was just something about him that turned me off,” he said, “But then we got to talking and discovered we had so much in common.”See that. Sometimes, we have instant chemistry with a new friend, just like I did with my new friend Andy. Other times, we get turned off for superficial reasons. But when we give people a chance, new friendships may flourish.Contact Pattie Mihalik at

newsgirl@comcast.net.