'Twas the night before marriage, and all through the house......
Not really.
It was an apartment. Above what is now B & W Appliance in Rochelle.
We had gone through the rehearsal, talked about the ceremony, and all we had to do was get a good night's sleep.
The rest is John's fault.
John and I stayed in the apartment the night before the wedding. At some point, I picked up my car keys, all the money I could find, and headed for the door.
The conversation went something like this:
"Where are you going?"
Uh....milk. I'm going for milk.
"You are going for milk?"
Yeah, and bread too. Going for milk and bread.
"Where are you going for milk and bread?"
Uh....just across the street. That little mini mart is open.
"Why are you taking your car keys?"
Uh...it's cold?
"Sit down. You are not going anywhere. You are getting married tomorrow. And just in case, give me those keys."
So, I sat, stayed, and the next day dressed in a rented tux and met my bride at St. Paul Episcopal Church in DeKalb. She had a beautiful wedding dress designed by J C Penney, a well know clotheir in the states. We kept that dress for about 35 years.....but we don't know why.
I think it was a cold day. (I always said, it would be a cold day when I got married.)
I was 16, she was 20.
You are right, that is a lie.
There was a white runner they unraveled before people walked down the aisle. It rolled, and rolled, and rolled..... I swear, it could have reached Normal Road if they hadn't stopped.
And the music! It went on for at least an hour after she made it down the aisle. Never ending? You can say that again.
Fr. Briant performed the ceremony. He was a wonderful man; intelligent, thoughtful. But he married us anyway.
The reception was in the church basement. Now Episcopalians call the basement the Undercroft, which I think always shows up on spell check as a mistake and is changed to anti aircraft.
Any way, I don't remember what we ate. I thought it was egg salad sandwiches, but Jackie says I am nuts about that. Who would serve egg salad at a wedding?
It was a low key affair, for a lot of reasons. We paid for it ourselves, we were students, we were young and stupid.
Anyway, she has put up with me for all these years. I know it has not been easy, I am a pain in the ass and a bit of a jerk.
There were times both of us could have walked away without looking back.
She has supported me in my job changes, my performing addiction, my sloppiness, my really sudden mood swings. I like to think I have supported her, and lifted her up too, but it has not been anywhere near as much as she has done for me. (If I count lifted up from the floor, I am way ahead on that!)
45 years is a long time.....and I don't think we'll make another 45. But I do want to say I still love her, and truly can't imagine life without her.
Now, about that present.......
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