It was a day to remember. The sky started out clear, warm and sunny, as you like. Driving up to Connecticut with TLW (The Little Woman), my 89 year-old Mother and her beau, we made the trip in 3 hours time. We checked into the hotel, met up with all the relatives and off we went an hour later to the Coast Guard Academy Chapel for the ceremony. Only problem was there was no bride! The groom, and his ushers were there, so were the Coast Guard Honor Guard, relatives and friends, but no bride.
Along the wall in the entrance to the church, stood three dress swords with sparkling white service caps topping the scabbards in a neat row by a rear side door. Suddenly someone steps into the church from the rear door and all three swords like dominoes, fall crashing to the ground, hats flying onto their tops, leaving a dirty residue on the white material.
Where is the bride?
On a big white bus, lost somewhere in the bowels of New London! Almost a half hour late, she finally arrives and the ceremony began. Marching down the aisle to the traditional wedding music, the bride met up with her victim for the first time that day. He was erect and handsome in his Coast Guard whites, and she beautiful in her Wedding fatigues, ready to join in Holy Wedlock.
Suddenly the church grew very dark, lit by a few overhead lights and some candles, being supplemented by the streaks of lightning that started to dance outside the etched windows of the chapel. Rain started to cascade down from the sky at an alarming rate as everyone tried to ignore the elements that demanded our attention, rudely intervening with the business at hand. We wondered what kind of omen that was, is there a message being sent? Yes, stay inside until this rain passes.
Off to the reception we go, the rain falling in spurts every other few miles as we arrive at the reception hall and dismount from our vehicles and parade into the cocktail hour, hungrier than Barbara Streisand’s nose for an extra large hanky.
As the dinner hour struck, the bride was once again about a half hour late in starting the introduction to the wedding party and dinner. My thinking was if we waited any longer for the bride, we would turn this reception into the bride and groom’s first year anniversary!
After finishing a very nice buffet, the music began, and Henry, my Mom’s beau had big plans in store for everybody in the family. After a few dances, what do I see but Henry, all 80 something years up and dancing with one of my sisters, doing moves that need to be put into slow motion so we could copy them! The man was good! Smooth as silk and filled with energy like you wouldn’t believe existed in anyone. He danced all night, dancing with all four sisters!
No comments:
Post a Comment