The shed was full. Happy cows lay deep in oat straw chewing their cuds as brother Bill quietly moved among them, checking for signs of calving. It was a placid scene of contentment after the evening chores, and as I stood there watching all the mouths moving steadily, a memory floated back of other munching mouths ...
It was of a wedding that took place quite a few years ago. I didn鈥檛 know the bride all that well, but she asked me to attend and sing a special song after the ceremony. She greeted me from her dining table with an anxious look and a distracted wave as I entered her home that morning.
A stylist bent over the bride鈥檚 platinum hair; teasing it into a frothy halo which framed her darkly tanned features. Five separate headdresses were then fixed into the resulting fluff. A diamond tiara, rhinestone headband, two strands of pearls, three pink flowers and a sequin-encrusted comb were all artfully arranged with the aid of enough hairspray to choke a horse. She turned to admire the effect in a mirror the stylist held out. This woman lived a life of excess. Let鈥檚 call her Mazy.
Brushing past her fianc茅鈥檚 three foot salamander 鈥� sorry, I鈥檝e been corrected on that 鈥� iguana, who lay across the back of a sofa, Mazy swept from the room to begin careful application of cosmetics in her boudoir. (Not everyone has a boudoir 鈥� she did).
The stylist exited the premises with a nod, and I was left with the reptile 鈥� great. I perched on the edge of the couch and we contemplated one another quietly for a time, each lost in thought. I, wondering why the heck I鈥檇 been told to arrive early only to spend quality time with an enormous green lizard, and he wondering if he could snare the lazy fly that circled over my head. I moved, hurriedly.
Unbeknownst to me, this is where the trouble started. Mazy had been suffering with nerves, and during her time alone in the boudoir, had resorted to self-medicating with Valium. Never a good thing. Two hours later, a limo parked majestically outside, and Mazy鈥檚 teenage daughter sprinted up the sidewalk.
鈥淲here鈥檚 mom?鈥� she called brightly, 鈥淚t鈥檚 time to leave.鈥� The lizard and I had been watching old Gilligan鈥檚 Island reruns and I glanced up with a shrug.
She rushed to the boudoir and rapped vigorously, 鈥淢om!鈥� No answer. More knocking. Then a frantic rattling of the knob. Now even the lizard was concerned. The girl ran to the kitchen, snatched up a butter knife and deftly picked the lock, but something still prevented her entry.
鈥淏ONK, BONK, BONK!鈥� She banged the door repeatedly into some strange obstruction on the other side, as she continued to call her tardy parent.
Abruptly, the portal was flung wide to reveal her mother slumped beside it on the floor where she had expired 鈥� before the repeated pounding on her forehead woke her up. The rhinestone headband hung crazily over one eye and several dark marks were materializing on her brow. Somehow, we got her into the limo and off to the church.
It was some nut in the foyer that really clinched the day by offering the entire wedding party a stick of gum. Taking my place on the platform, I watched in horror as each smartly dressed attendant marched down the aisle chewing loudly, their mouths opening wide.
Finally, Mazy unsteadily entered the sanctuary. She stared disinterestedly at her waiting groom through glazed, heavily lidded eyes. Finally, after a certain amount of urging from concerned bystanders, she launched off towards him. Her hair was matted, and flat on one side from the earlier time spent prostrate on her carpeting, but chawing on her gum purposefully, she swayed slowly down the aisle.
They said their vows, between chews, and successfully tied the knot. Suddenly, it was my big moment. The group turned towards me, each mouth chomping expectantly as I stepped to the podium, cleared my throat, looked out upon the dazed assembly and sang, 鈥淭his is the Day the Lord Hath Made鈥�.
Contact Helen at myprairiewool.com or Box 55 Marshall, Sask. S0M1R0
