Wednesday, December 27, 2017

48 And Counting

Last week I referred to our upcoming 48th wedding anniversary. Well, today's the day. Like Kennedy being assassinated I would have to believe everyone remembers the day the knot was tied be it two years or one hundred.

Our day is one never to be forgotten. The snow came down in droves. Our ceremony was to begin at St. Augustin's Catholic Church in Des Moines at 4PM.

Let me begin by stating I did not have a bachelor party. I didn't have so much as one beer the night before at it was at my request. My best man and two groomsmen stayed at my home. Problem number one took place six months prior to our day. I had requested measurements for coat, shirt, shoes from my guys. At the time they were in shape; muscular and fit. On this day they had turned into slobs. Nothing fit. One  of them ripped the sleeve from his morning coat jacked. The other snapped a neck button. A third forgot his black patent shoes and borrowed a pair of brown ones from me.

Due to the blizzard taking place we jammed into my car for the normal one hour drive. I added another hour and a half to be on the safe side. We had driven to Madrid, Iowa fifteen miles south of Boone when one of the guys, let's call him Fat but only because that was his nickname shouted out, "Stop, we have to go back!". Considering Fat had just returned from Viet Nam and might have been suffering from PTSD I didn't question his demand. My assumption was forgotten an item of importance.

Boone, Iowa, at one time had a restaurant called Coney Island. They created the best coney dogs with chili ever. And that was Fat's request. He just had to have not one, not two but six dogs.

You've surmised by now that the rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch and it did.

There's one aspect of the wedding The Queen and I are most proud. I had six men standing up for me including ushers. My wife had five, on maid of honor and four attendants. Of these eleven none were married to each other. Of  these eleven all remained married to their original partner. That, my friends is some kind of record.

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