Here Comes The Bride

Turned 17 in April, graduated in May, married in July, had a baby 10 months and 3 days later. It was a busy year! Happened 57 years ago. Headstrong, rebellious, independent. Good description, and that was my Boston terrier. In those olden days (my grandkids love that phrase) a male had to be 21 to get a marriage license, a female 18. Woman has always matured quicker than man. Remember I came from a rather conventional background and young ladies did not run off and get married in my family. But then what was I supposed to do. They told me "No".

Remember I told you that I have made most of the decisions in the life journey of Mate and Me. Suffice to say, I just decided I wanted to. Mate wasn't sure until the last moment. If the truth be told, he may not be convinced to this day

Mate had been a Marine in Korea when he was 17 years old. He had already fought several battles and won. So I am thinking if he hadn't wanted to get married he knew how to fight. Of course the government gave him a machine gun in Korea and in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1953, he only had a Roy Rogers cap pistol.

We traveled to a small County Seat 20 miles East to get the license. I planned on a bald faced lie. It didn't work. No license. Almost the identical thing happened 20 miles to the West. I believe Mate breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't realize that was all the encouragement I needed.

I was working downtown near where the bus stopped. Saw a woman sitting on the bench waiting, Somehow I knew she was not of the highest moral standards of the day. I approached asked if she wanted to earn $5.00 (not a small sum of money). She asked what she had to do. I told her to learn to write my mothers name. I learned in the first two tries that your mother could just sign over her rights to you. (I believe I equated that to slavery at the time, but remember I did not have children) It worked.

License in hand. What to do, what to do? I knew a lot of preachers. Trouble was they knew me and more importantly, they knew Family. So to the phone book I went, looked for a "Rev." In my Church we do not call our preachers Rev. Found one.

Hot July day. Rev (don't remember his name) sleeves rolled up. Drinking an R C Cola. Announced we had to have witnesses. (I had not read the entire manual for run away weddings) Neighbors in the back yard. Don't remember their names. They came in shorts and T Shirts. Rev began the ceremony. Got a coughing spell. Stopped. Took a sip of that ice cold R C Cola. I now pronounce you Mate and Mate. Notice the short precise sentences. Thats exactly what happened; it was short and precise and it took.

Do I regret not having a big ceremony, with flowers, candles, friends, relatives, bridesmaids, groomsmen, beautiful guests dressed to kill, lots of pictures? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!!.

When wedding stories are told, which one do you think people will find the most unique and interesting?