C.S. McMullen's Life

Prelude

As the blazing sun glared upon the little white church, with its black wrought iron fence encompassing the neatly manicured lawn, the cobblestone path led guests between two large maple trees and up to the front entrance.  Inside, the wedding party in traditional dress sat and listened attentively to the proceedings.  Fans were placed strategically throughout the room in an effort to keep the audience cool...especially the more nervous future grooms.  As they dabbed at their foreheads with already wet handkerchiefs and tugged at their shirt collars with their intended sitting next to them, the tall candelabras with lit candles threatened to go out from the gentle breeze that lined each side of the center aisle.

A 12-inch wide paper path stretched from the door to a young blond-haired woman in a traditional 1958 wedding dress with veil.  Holding her hands was the groom...decked out in a gray tuxedo with tails, white shirt, multi-striped tie, and polished shoes, which reflected the lit candles.  In traditional black robes, the solemn minister spoke THE question:  “Do you Donald take Juliet as your wife, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”  “I do--absolutely--definitely!”  “Good enough, Donald” replied the minister, cutting him off.  “You may place the ring on her finger.”  “Huh-hh..oh..ummm..okay” he snapped out of his trance and turned to his best man, who, similarly attired, handed the ring to him.  Then he turned back to his bridge.  Grasping her warm left hand, he slid the golden wedding band onto the finger with the diamond ring. 

“Now, do you Juliet take Donald as your husband, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part”?  “I definitely do.”  “You may place the ring on his finger, Juliet”.  Accepting the golden wedding band from the best man, she grasped his left hand with hers and slid it onto his finger.  “Good..good” replied the minister, as they blushed together.  “You may kiss the bridge”!  Lifting her veil, they embraced warmly and kissed several times, gently.

Parting, they turned to face the wedding party still holding hands.  As the minister proclaimed, “With the power vested in me and by the great state of Indiana, I now pronounce you man and wife!”  Arm in arm, Mr. And Mr. Donald McMullen walked out of the sanctuary with a final wedding song ringing in their ears and into a throng of well wishers.

The usual hand shaking, greetings, and a variety of picture taken with the wedding party took about an hour.  But shortly after that, the young newly-w4eds left at a fast walk amidst a shower of rice and good cheer.  As they headed down the cobblestone path to their new 1958 4-door, blue and white Chevy Impala sitting at the curb, the young women and teenage girls chattered excitedly amongst themselves.  They gathered in a semi-circle just 10 feet from Juliet to await the traditional tossing of the bouquet.  “Are you ready” questioned Juliet.  “Yeahhhh” came their response.  With a smile from ear to ear, she brought her right arm back and let the bouquet fly, watching it arch gracefully against the azure blue sky before landing in the arms of a young teenage girl!

As the rest of the girls encircled the blushing teen to congratulate her, Juliet clapped her hands in response with them.  An older gentleman dressed in a three-piece tweed suit walked up to Donald and laid his big arm across his shoulders.  “Don, when are you and Julie coming over to the house to open your wedding presents?”  “After the honeymoon, Dad!” he smiled sheepishly.  “Oh-h..okay.  Goodbye Son!” he said, as he held out his hand in a friendly fashion.