McNamara, 64, is a retired warehouse foreman. Marangoni, 57, is a part-time librarian. They've been together almost 33 years, bought a house and gained weight. On weeknights, they usually watch television.
They're gay, of course. But after four days of wall-to-wall gay marriage coverage, even that is becoming old hat. They certainly don't expect to turn any heads this afternoon when they become one of the first Tri-City area same-sex couples to wed.
Still, their June wedding is big deal — to Marangoni.
"I think it's important," he said. "As I keep telling him, it's your chance to be part of history."
As for McNamara's relative lack of enthusiasm, "I guess it's the fact that it's silly," he said. He's not happy that the federal government won't recognize the marriage and is satisfied with California's domestic partnership law.
"Separate, but not equal," Marangoni says of civil unions.
"Who cares?" McNamara replied.
The couple finds a lot more unanimity when the topic turns to gay marriage opponents. They say their vows will strengthen marriage and all stable relationships and that evangelical groups such as Focus on the Family should concentrate on other issues.
"Focus on stopping hunger in this country," Marangoni said.
"Focus on getting gas prices lower," McNamara added.
Life has been reasonably good for the couple, both of whom were raised in the Bay Area by families that embraced their sexuality.
Marangoni speaks multiple languages, reads a lot and has a soft spot for Europe. McNamara is a movie buff who prefers Reno to the Riviera.
They met in a San Francisco gym on Nov. 9, 1975. "We liked each other's looks and started dating," Marangoni said.
Over 32 years, they've raised four cats while living in San Francisco, Fremont and, for the past 17 years, Union City. Neither is too concerned about a ballot measure that would make gay marriage illegal once again.
A lawyer friend told them that the state couldn't retroactively annul their marriage, and, even though a similar measure passed in 2000, they think voters will be on their side this time around. The couple also doesn't see logistical downsides to getting married.
They don't plan to move to a state that wouldn't recognize their marriage and they already own a home together and have a joint checking account. When McNamara's medical insurance premiums skyrocketed recently, he went on Marangoni's health care plan.
"We've basically been married for a long time," Marangoni said. "Why not call it what it is?"
Their wedding, true to form, won't have a lot of flash. They bought matching blue shirts, but neither of them felt like being fitted for a tuxedo.
They expect 25 or so friends and family to be with them as they walk the aisle of the county's wedding room in Oakland.
They haven't even thought of vows yet, although Marangoni knows just what he'd say. "I'd say to Frank, thank you for being my best friend and bed partner for nearly a third of a century. ... It's really hard to imagine life with anybo
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