The Wedding Day - Part Two

Lisa arrives next with an exquisite tan, petite hand-luggage case with stickers of Rome, Florence, Paris, etc., all over it. This is placed by the front door on the half wall to accept cards from well wishers over the course of the day.

The bride dons her gorgeous, cream lace, strapped dress and the groom decides to go with the Mexican formal collarless shirt that step-mom Irene gave me as a Christmas gift 15 years earlier. On your marks. Get set ... .

The guests begin arriving at 1 p.m. sharp. The first in the door is none other than Irene, sister Lynne, bro Gar and Lydia and young lady Alexa. We haven't seen Lynne in years as she and Irene are just in from Guadalajara, Mexico. And Aunties Joyce and Marilyn both attend as well, arriving next with cousins John, Ann and Dave.

Barb Reid is on the mark as the official photographer lending her acute eye to all that unfolds. And Denise has set up the video camera, on tripod in the living room to capture the ceremony. Fifty guests are seated with Matt Wilhelm at the ready at the keyboard. The stage is set. Devon and I enter the living room and she and I walk down the isle together. Mel takes Ryan's arm and he escorts her to me and our Madam of Ceremonies, Marni Nancekivell. Ry and Devo flank Marni with Mel and I facing.

The formal part of the afternoon is executed with our High Priestess flawlessly directing the service. Notable mentions include Miss Emma Mansell singing, "What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life," with Mr. Matt Wilhelm (more on this phenomenon a little later) backing on piano. Originally performed by 'ol Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra. Emma does it better. Vow time has Mel delivering her promise to me and I follow with mine. Both are read 'cause I don't think it would have been possible any other way. I really want to hold Mel's hands as I go but I have the piece of paper to contend with as well. So, thinking ahead, I had put a scrape of folded Scotch tape on the mantle piece. Reaching over I grab the tape and a fixing it to my paper, I stick the paper to Mel's forehead. "There. That works." UUhhhhh, maybe not.

Mine was so very difficult to get through and in no time I am in need of much more air than seems available. I start a-huffin' and a-puffin' trying to keep from complete system collapse. I think, after all was said and done, I did OK. It was full of stop and go, scatter and gather and scatter once again. But I was able to compose myself more often than I disassembled. And, in the end, I had said what I so wanted to say. In the middle of a particularly tough spot, I turned to Gar and I acknowledged the most excellent job he did recently under similar circumstance and with similar results when he delivered the eulogy at his father's service.