a wedding story

So Jen got a call from one of the mothers of a disabled child that Jen works with inviting us to a wedding... That's what she understood from the plural conjugation of the word "you" anyway, which was further confirmed by our past experience of weddings being family affairs, where both husband and wife are invited, although they sit on different sides of the hall. So we got ready and went to the toihona (wedding house), where we found an unusual situation: the hall was filled with women only. Turns out that this wedding was in a very religious family, so only women were invited to the big party, and then just a few of the male relatives and the grooms closest friends gather in another room. Before I could protest, I was quickly ushered into a small room adjacent to the hall, where I found about 20 men sitting around a large round table. There was only one open chair, and I obediently sat when ordered. I began feeling very uncomfortable after receiving more sideways glances than "saloms". I knew none of these guys, and they were clearly wondering who this foreigner was who wandered into their party. Then a particularly well dressed young man walked in. I was obviously sitting in his chair, but by this point, was paralyzed by the blanket of awkwardness which had engulfed me, and another couple of young men scurried off to add another chair to the table and scoot a few people over to make it fit. Still no one had greeted me, and the round table made hiding impossible. Overwhelmed with palpable awkwardness, I knew that I needed to do something.

So what would you have done, I ask?

Well, here's what I did...

I ran away like a girl.

Actually, I made my phone ring and got up as if to answer it. I got out of there and headed home without looking back, leaving Jen and Ella behind in the main hall to find their own way home later.

By the way, you may have guessed the identity of the well-dressed young man. My suspicions were confirmed when I looked at Jen's pictures from the wedding later. Yes, I took the groom's chair.



Ella and mommy had a good time anyway...