Old Blue & Cashmere
Saturday, July 21, 2007
After a three-year wait, Old Blue and Cashmere were tying the knot at 12:30 at the South’s church that afternoon.
That morning, OLeif was out running around Scott Hamilton’s friend to another hotel and to his work. And Puck sat mostly undressed in his bouncy seat, waving his chubby limbs and talking very loudly while Collette prepared to leave for the wedding.
Later, while OLeif changed Puck into his little blue overalls, they struck up another conversation, (a habit which was beginning to continue nightly).
“Do me a favor,” OLeif said. “Tell me a joke.”
Puck had to think for awhile while OLeif laced up Puck’s white high tops.
It was wedding number fifteen to attend in the past three years. Cashmere had obviously done a lot of work to prepare for her day, including dark violet dresses for all the bridesmaids, which no doubt her mom had put together. Orange lilies, Frank Sinatra, and two solos by Collette’s old chemistry professor… Relevance was best man, followed by Bo Ernie and Travis Tecumseh. Cashmere’s bridesmaids included her two sisters, Lolli, and a few others.
Many friends of the old circle turned up, including Mercy and her boyfriend, Amy Humble and her husband, the Oranges, etc.
Puck was introduced to his Uncle Relevance and Bluebell’s family. He smiled appropriately, according to his escort, his Aunt Kitts.
The ceremony was short, even though communion was included at the end. And Cashmere was presented to her groom with a song from “Cinderella”.
The reception at The Columns was predictably elegant. Elizabeth and Magnus were among the servers. Steaming silver trays of bacon-wrapped pork, crab rangoon, ravioli, barbecued chicken, meatballs, salami and pepper Jack cheese were already laid out in several buffet lines. Trays of sparkling grape juice were handed out at the doors.
The peanut gallery soon gathered at the back corner table of the room with OLeif and Puck, Joe, Wallace, and Curly leading the typical nonsense. They were also temporarily joined by Mom, and Collette, Rose, Kathleen George, Starr, and Izzy.
It wasn’t long before they noticed the purple matchbook favors on the table and began lighting the matches in the five candle centerpiece. They also caused general trouble for Magnus, who occasionally worked on clearing their table, and laughed at his apron. This was followed by the cutting of the lavender fondant-covered cake whereupon most dispersed to watch the dancing.
After Wally had loaded up on his fifth heaping plate of hors ‘doeuvres, the three stooges took off to the dance floor for the garter-toss. It was also the first wedding Collette had seen that included a bouquet-toss for both the single women and the married women.
Meanwhile, Puck was passed among the masses. And OLeif hobbled from one side of the room to another with a crutch.
Despite the wedding being a pleasant affair, Collette was almost happy to note that there were no pending weddings. A break was due in the realm of love and marriage.
Come evening, OLeif felt well enough to just lie on the red couch and watch a film on a Norwegian-speaking German mail-order bride, with Collette.
Although when two kids came by after dark to see if OLeif wanted his lawn mowed (seeing as his knee wasn’t feeling up to it), OLeif obliged, set up floodlights on the patio so they could see the backyard, and dismantled the old basketball hoop behind the shed to give to the ten year-old. That was the end of the day.
And with that, Old Blue and Cashmere were off to California.
“Hello, hams.” – German mail-order bride, speaking to pigs