Wednesday, November 12, 2008

GETTING TO THE WEDDINGS

Today was my day to marry couples. I got to the parking garage, window down, blinker on and the orange sign was out, GARAGE IS FULL. The security guard was standing in the lane so you couldn't sneak in. What was going on? It is never full at that time of day. So I begin driving and looking for a parking place. I lucked out, a pull in spot, no meter, and only a block and a half away from the county building. Not bad. Of course I could only park there for two hours and then would need to move the car.



I go in and wait for the licenses to start piling up. Nothing. I read, a boring book, for nearly two hours. Time to move my car. I grab the key and my wallet, leaving my purse, phone, belongings in the desk. I drive around to the garage. OH NO, still an ugly orange sign out with the security guard standing there. What is going on? I start driving, nothing for blocks. There are other lots but they are raping the public. Double my garage costs. So I think I will just call the office tell them there is no parking and go home. Oops, I left my purse and belongings in the desk. I have to park in order to get them.



Finally an open spot, but I have to parallel park on the left side of the street. I have parallel parked maybe 5 times since my driving test in 1959. That is what parking garages, head in spaces, and husbands are for. I did it, I parked that big SUV on the first try. And there was 28 minutes on the meter. I am one lucky gal.



Back to the marrying. I did 5 weddings in the next hour and 25 minutes. They were all love matches. You could just feel the love.



One couple just radiated love. Adoring looks and tenderness. But they didn't have a witness. They lucked out with a woman in the lobby, she would be their witness. They had no idea how lucky they were. We got upstairs and I asked if they had a camera or a camera phone. No camera, but they had the phone. Cristine, the witness says,"I have a camera." And she goes into her backpack and pulls out an expensive digital camera. She took all kinds of pictures, from all angles. She really looked like a pro. And the pictures will be emailed to the couple tonight. What a good Samaritan.



One wedding couple were babies, he was 18, she was 19. I hate those. So young, they should be dating, going to college, having fun, not suddenly becoming grown ups. It was a beautiful wedding. The bride had on a white wedding dress with a full train. The dress had seed pearls all over it, lovely. Her little sister was in a long white dress and stood up with her. The groom had on a black suit and his brother in a black suit stood up with him. There were corsages, bouquets, boutonnieres, lots of family, cameras everywhere. This was a happy occasion.



And I guess that is all anyone can wish for, a happy love filled room.

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