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Ted Boyd wanted to make a lasting first impression on Barbara. They were going on a first date, so Ted arrived in a red and green Christmas tree jacket with white socks. Barbara wondered, Who is this crazy guy?

The evening set the tone for their life together. Ted makes Barbara laugh with his fun-loving personality, while Barbara helps Ted keep his feet planted on the ground. Ted's the dreamer; Barbara's the realist. And that combination has worked well through good times and bad.

When Barbara landed a job in 1969 as a TV reporter for WRTV Channel 6 in Indianapolis, she broke new ground: She was the first African-American woman on television news in Indianapolis, and later she was promoted to anchor.

"Ted told me, 'Babe, take your best shot,'" says Barbara. "He was totally supportive of my career, 25 years of it, even though it meant a role reversal for him."

Ted acknowledges he was sometimes known as Mr. Barbara Boyd. "I never let it get to me," he says. "TV was just an extension of who she was at home. She was always my anchor."

But Ted became her anchor when Barbara was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1972, 19 years into their marriage. "Ted's my rock," Barbara says. "He never made me feel any less of a woman after my mastectomy. You see, marriage isn't a 50-50 proposition. It all depends on who can carry the load at the time. Sometimes it's the husband, sometimes the wife."

Ted agrees: "When you make those vows, you've committed for life. When you say for better or worse, you better believe both will come."

Now that Barbara's retired from TV news, the Boyds stay in the public eye by performing Ted's poems and short stories together. Ted's the author of The Black Snowflake, a children's book, and Sumpin to Think About, a book of poetry. They call their act Togetherness Productions.

"We're enjoying this time in our life," Barbara says. "It's been great since the kids took off. We can run around the house naked if we want. At 77 years old, Ted's still the best lover in the world."

With a twinkle in his eye Ted adds, "Life is short. Have fun. A hundred years from now you won't know the difference."

On keeping marriage happy:
Ted: "I let Barbara manage our money. That keeps us happy. She only shops Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, she takes a day of rest."
Barbara: "We gave ourselves time to get adjusted to marriage. At first, I didn't like Ted putting his cold feet on me. A few years later I told him, 'Okay, you can put your cold feet on me as long as you give me a back massage.'"

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