I'm sheltering in a travelodge from a tornado that's just whipped through Chicago. It seems a fitting way to end the manic whirlwind few days of pre-wedding preparation and post-wedding celebration.
We are a motley crew of road trippers who've come north from Indianapolis. Bride and groom - Matt & Aida, Maid of honour - Federica, her non-English speaking parents - Gianni and Bruna, myself and a plastic Elvis which has been attached to the windscreen to guide us in times of trouble.
Gianni is the numero uno Elvis fan del mundo and in a couple of days we'll be turning back south for Memphis, a pilgrimage he's been waiting 58 years to make and that he can't even think about without tears appearing in his eyes. When my poor Italian runs out we sing softly to each other. Love me Tender, Suspicious Mind, In the Ghetto etc etc. It has already become the universal language of the road.
The wedding was a great success, although it all went by in a bit of a blur. The main focus for all of us was keeping Matt and Aida on track to have the best day of their lives, whilst making sure we paid due respect to each of the cultural traditions and expectations in play. Still if anybody wants to ask me how to stage manage a American, Italian, Eritrean, British Catholic wedding in Indiana - I think I may have just become the world's leading expert? ... at the very least I feel I could crack out a Ph.d from the experience. The main thing is that Matt and Aida are very, very happy - so from that point of view mission accomplished.
Remarkably twenty minutes after I broke away from the main party tonight (a timely quest for a bit of private contemplation after ten days of complete co-habitation) the storm rolled in. The rest of the crew went looking for pizza, whilst I was intercepted by a police car as I headed for a lake shore stroll and told in no uncertain terms to take cover. Sirens began going off and I just about made it in doors before the eye came rolling over downtown.
It's a very dramatic end to the day!
We are a motley crew of road trippers who've come north from Indianapolis. Bride and groom - Matt & Aida, Maid of honour - Federica, her non-English speaking parents - Gianni and Bruna, myself and a plastic Elvis which has been attached to the windscreen to guide us in times of trouble.
Gianni is the numero uno Elvis fan del mundo and in a couple of days we'll be turning back south for Memphis, a pilgrimage he's been waiting 58 years to make and that he can't even think about without tears appearing in his eyes. When my poor Italian runs out we sing softly to each other. Love me Tender, Suspicious Mind, In the Ghetto etc etc. It has already become the universal language of the road.
The wedding was a great success, although it all went by in a bit of a blur. The main focus for all of us was keeping Matt and Aida on track to have the best day of their lives, whilst making sure we paid due respect to each of the cultural traditions and expectations in play. Still if anybody wants to ask me how to stage manage a American, Italian, Eritrean, British Catholic wedding in Indiana - I think I may have just become the world's leading expert? ... at the very least I feel I could crack out a Ph.d from the experience. The main thing is that Matt and Aida are very, very happy - so from that point of view mission accomplished.
Remarkably twenty minutes after I broke away from the main party tonight (a timely quest for a bit of private contemplation after ten days of complete co-habitation) the storm rolled in. The rest of the crew went looking for pizza, whilst I was intercepted by a police car as I headed for a lake shore stroll and told in no uncertain terms to take cover. Sirens began going off and I just about made it in doors before the eye came rolling over downtown.
It's a very dramatic end to the day!
Posts
1 comment:
i feel a movie script coming on....
Post a Comment