Odd Time of the Year

Yesterday I got married eighteen years ago to Beanie.

Today I got married nine years ago to the Deke.

The Deke and I drove from Eugene to Spokane on the ninth anniversary of me having married Beanie. We stayed with friends.

On our wedding day, we drove from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene and arrived at the Hitching Post Lakeside Chapel about 90 minutes ahead of our appointment.

The minister said he could take us early. He sent us across the street to buy our marriage license.

We asked him how much it cost.

We emptied our pockets outside and were about twenty-five cents short. The courthouse didn't take a check or plastic. We scraped around the floorboard of my Chevy S-10 pickup, lifted up the floor mats to see if we could scrounge up the quarter we needed. We found enough pennies and a nickel to bring us to within a dime.

I regret what happened next. Two elderly women were strolling by the Hitching Post. I figured between them they had a dime. I didn't think they'd mind if I asked them if they could spare a dime so we could get married.

But I didn't ask them.

The Deke and I went to an ATM and got the cash we needed, secured a license, marched back to the chapel, and to the sounds of organ music on a cassette player we, with no one else present, without fuss, joined in holy matrimony.

Beanie and I had been divorced for two years, separated for almost four.

The Deke and I drove to Kellogg for our honeymoon. We got to Mom's house earlier than planned.

The figure of Mom was framed by the picture window.

She had rollers in her hair and was vacuuming the living room.

Our honeymoon was under way.

******

P. S. My own memory and records report that I also got married thirty years ago this past September to NH. My own memory and records report that we divorced in 1982. But, the Roman Catholic Church annulled our Presbyterian union.

It's a metaphysical puzzle.

If a marriage fails in one's youth and the Roman Catholic Church annuls it, did it ever happen?