We had been looking for a special place to celebrate our forty-first anniversary in Havre de Grace. Only the Water Street Seafood had ever made a special effort for us or our friends before, but we wanted someplace a little more formal. The Vineyard had excellent ratings, so we decided to try. Mind you, we’ve had the other 40 anniversaries in restaurants from coast to coast, so finding something special in a small town like Havre de Grace seemed like wishful thinking. I called for reservations and the receptionist did not sound like one of the typical kids-commanding-counters types. Since my wife is ill, she arranged for a perfect-sounding table, away from the crowd. When we arrived a few days later and announced our name to the Maître-d’, who happened to be owner Joe, he did not at first recognize our special request, but soon asked “Do you need a separate space.” I told him what I told the reservation taker and he immediately set us up away from the crowd. Soon our server Jen arrived, the same one who made the reservation. She needed to walk extra paces from the kitchen to provide for us, but made it seem like there was hardly another soul in her care. I asked for a bottle of merlot, and she pulled off the nearby shelf an R-Collection Merlot, not the most expensive in the house, but a smooth choice with cherry and raspberry flavors. Due to my wife’s therapy, her appetite is curtailed, but we ordered separate entrees of rockfish for her and salmon with sweet potatoes for me. Both came perfectly prepared with seasonal asparagus and small enough portions to enjoy. We followed them up with a “dark-side-of-the-moon” desert of fudge cake encasing chocolate mousse. For our special occasion, Jen brought us a cleansing champaign with strawberry garnish. On the way out, Joe told us we were the last customers he would let in before dinner—which I took to be turning away business so that he could take good care of those who made reservations. How many meals do you remember for years after? For us, the only answer is only a few, but this was one of them. We’ll be back for our next special occasion.