My wedding day

Right around the time I got married, it was raining.  Cats and Dogs, as the saying goes, if I remember right.   The problem is, I  don’t remember much of the details about the day I got married.  But  I don’t think that’s abnormal.  The amnesia seems selective and is like a biological coping mechanism. Quite soothing for a troubled soul.

Im not sure why the heavens opened up that day – It had been bright and beautiful,  if a little warm until that day right uptil half an hour before the nuptials. But then who can fathom Gods ways.

A little while before, Marriage had been far from my mind. But the die was cast in college.  I fell in love and I had to choose between love and marriage! I chose marriage!

How did it begin? Ah that is  a good  question.  It was prettly little thing’s bday. And like our childhood days, she distributed chocolates, little éclairs wrapped in a  differently colored paper  with optimistic words written on them like, like hello, hi, good morning, smile, don’t cry, etc,  Initially all of my classmates picked from a plate, that she was taking around, but as she neared me,  she started picking out the chocolates handing them over. She did the same with me. And when I looked at it, I was shocked.. it had written on it the words “try me” . From there to my wedding was a long journey, but she was a good driver .

I managed  to get to the church on time, but  I stepped into  a puddle as I got down from the car as I was pleading with the heavens, when my feet touched the ground.

It was mid afternoon, and the nuptials were slated to begin at 3.30 PM,   and I was feeling sleepy, after a boisterous party the previous night – the last one I was told, before I joined the ban wagon.

My friends ribbed me no end – After downing a couple of toasts, they  raised one to me,  and said impossible things like Brian If  you want to be happily married you must understand every word your wife does not say.   

I wondered if I heard right? Understand what she does not say?  I reflected on it for a while,  but soon gave up, because my understanding of what she actually said itself during our courtship, when each of us was on our best behavior, was not upto the mark – her mark , and often led to  what people call gently, mis understanding. That, she was not on those occasions – Miss understanding. 

As I alternated between excitement and anxiety, all my friends could do to rid me of my apprenshions  was bathe me first in traditional coconut milk and then hose me down with the garden hose  which literally blew of my  underwear. 

It was a long night ahead of what I hoped would be a long marriage.

3.30 in the afternoon. It was the wrong time to get married I thought.  But it was the only available slot.  Oh God, with my sleep wrought anxious mind, I was hoping |would get the ring on the right finger on her  left hand and utter my vows clearly and without ambiguity.

 I had not been married previously and my bride would not allow me to rehearse either the ring action or the vows.  She said, Brian, when you say “I do”, I want it to be the first time you say it to me in front of everybody, but remember it must not be your last.

 It’s when the wedding car went to pick up my bride that it stopped raining, why, again I can’t fathom.  She arrived in splendor that only a bride can arrive in.  She was cynosure of all eyes, mine included, for she was truly beautiful  like an angel in white. She joined me at the altar and gave me a coy look from under her veil. It was time to test her offer of  try me!

The nuptials began and soon the time came for us to exchange vows and rings.  I didn’t miss a beat, coz I only had to say I do to what the priest said, but it was then that I recalled what my bride to be had told me -  that I would have continuously use those two one syllable words quite often in the privacy of our home.  The ring went on to right finger on the left hand, coz she guided me in the right direction, as she would continue to do in future.  

And thus were declared husband and wife in the eyes of God.

 It was time to make merry. At the reception, hosted in our honour by our parents, were all the people we loved,  those who loved us and some whom we hated and were hated  by in return. But all differences were set aside as we stood in front of the three tiered wedding cake.   My wife held the knife, and I placed my hand on top of hers and we were about to cut the cake the emcee interrupted the process.  Brian, he said,  that’s the last time you’ll have the upper hand. Suddenly there was deep gash on the wedding cake!

As we headed home that night, my bride, now my wife turned to me and said sweetly, here’s my wedding present dear, and handed me a single chocolate – on the wrapper was written “Try me”!