RBG, my friend

EDITOR’S NOTE: Saint Philip’s parishioner Jean Cooper reflects on her friendship with the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

I first met Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1980 at a National Association of Women Judges Conference in Washington, DC. I was a co-chair of the conference and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, then a new judge, asked me for help in getting her to the right entrance of the White House for a reception being given by Jimmy Carter. Judge Ginsburg decided that I was a new friend, based on this small bit of help. It was the start of a friendship, much to my surprise.

In 1992, before she was nominated to the Supreme Court, Judge Ginsburg and I had what I call a "planes, trains, and automobiles" adventure that lasted for at least 10 hours, during which I was responsible for her. It began when we were both flying back to Washington from New York City on the same plane. The flight was cancelled, and I decided we would need to take a train to get home. We took a taxi to Penn Station, and had to get tickets for the next train leaving for DC. It was then that I found out that I would have to get both of our tickets because my friend had never bought her own ticket before. I also had to handle the luggage for both of us. We finally got on a train and it broke down just outside of Wilmington, Delaware. I was not sure what we should do then, but Judge Ginsburg assured everyone else nearby that I would figure something out. Luckily, the train was repaired, and we got to DC many hours later than expected.

After Ruth (that was what I called her) was appointed to the Supreme Court, she and her husband Marty were going to the Inn at Little Washington for a weekend visit and she insisted that I call the Inn on her behalf so she could tour their wine cellar. I assured her this was not necessary but she not only insisted that I do it, she checked back to see if I had made the call yet. The Inn owner was truly surprised that she thought it was necessary to have me call on her behalf. She also had the Irish ambassador and his wife believing that I was a restaurant reviewer because for about two years she would not eat at any restaurant that I had not included in a guide I had written for another judges conference in DC. 

I guess in retrospect I should have been honored that she held me in such high regard on matters of food, wine, and travel dilemmas. These remembrances are just a few anecdotes about my friend Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I will always remember her for the times we spent together. 

Jean Cooper, with friends Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.