Adventures in the West

I can't even explain how I was not looking forward to Karen's wedding. First, because I was only invited because Ann could bring a date, and she wasn't going to take Eric to a camp wedding. That would probably be torture for him... So I said I would go, thinking that she was my CIT Director and I adore her, even if she did go to work for Camp Carter. Second, I didn't know what to wear or who would be there - I hadn't been to a wedding since I was in junior high. I don't dress appropriately for special occasions. I usually miss the mark on attire by about 3 inches. Off just enough to notice, but hard to put your finger on why that skirt, jacket, and shoe trio just do not work. And then two days before the wedding I told Lydia that I would work at camp on Saturday, the day of the wedding. My mental math told me that I would have plenty of time to drive back from Granbury, take a shower, get all dressed up, and then to the church in Ft. Worth by way of Ann's parents' house. I was never good at math.

Friday was the night I was going to take Ann to Vino's, this hideous bar on Pipeline in Bedford. Jacque mentioned going to a haunted house that night as well and that was sure to be good fun, so I told her we would head that way too. Oh glorious times. Long wait. Slight drizzle. The haunted house wasn't as good as last year's and we didn't even go through the bubble room at the end. Boo! But I got to see Jacque and Austen and Mike. Yay!

Then Ann and I hauled to Bedford for the karaoke. Ann's parents live off of Pipeline and she drove by Vino's every day on the way to Nolan for school. She said she had always wanted to go there, because it was the one place on the street she couldn't go into. When I mentioned that I met a friend there once, for like a second, we decided to make it out goal to go there when she would be in town. Well, victory is ours! Except the prize is Vino's. It looks like this tiny little hick bar, but with karaoke. You know the place, next to Little Cesar's. Pizza! Pizza!

I didn't mention this before, but I happened to put on my going out make-up this evening, complete with three shades of eye shadow, eye liner, black mascara, and bright lipstick. I am nothing if not looking like a harlot this evening. The look is finished with my tight jeans, a white wife beater and a pink sweatshirt popular the world over after Flashdance. That's correct, it was off the shoulder. The waitress re-named us Leslie and Mary, because the two loud guys at the next table were very "friendly" and we should avoid real names just to be on the safe side. I was Leslie. The boys came by, said hi a few times. After we sat down one guy goes, who's the blonde? Ann goes, "You know why they keep coming over?" I have to answer, "Of course, because I'm dressed like a white trash slut with big hair and acid-washed jeans." Will think twice before playing the slut outside of the gay-borhood.

We sang the karaoke. The rest was relatively uneventful, except when we wanted to leave, the waitress disappeared for 30 minutes and we had to wait for her to get my credit card back, but I suppose that is neither here nor there. It was like a prison with cruel karaoke torture! Thankfully I decided to stay in Bedford at the parental units' place. Got up at the butt-crack to make it there, but they put a drive-thru Starbucks in at 377 and 20. Glorious! Tried desperately to look like I knew what I was doing with the fishing and the poles. There was bait, too. As you can imagine, that didn't go well at all. Stinky catfish bait, bright red fish eggs. Fall Creek, not exactly known for the fishing in our parts of the water. Fairly dry and, as I found out half way through the day, frequented by large venomous snakes. Woot! Didn't see any though. Heh. They only visit me in the bathroom in Discovery Lodge. Ahem.

I asked Lydia if I could leave early and I went to Old Navy to get a cheap cardigan to go with my outfit, then went over to Bed, Bath, & Beyond to purchase a gift for the newly weds. I walk in the door and hear my name being called. Sounds like Ann, but I don't see her, so I begin spinning in the entry way of the Triple B. Then I see her. Of course she is here. Purchasing our gift with her mom. I love Ann. So the gift is picked out, we decide to grab a bag and tissue paper between the wedding and the reception. Off to Bedford for both of us to get ready. I shower the camp off and get dressed with a presentable amount of hair styling and make-up. In fact, I don't think I look half bad. How is this possible? Am loving this day. Get to Ann's on time and dressed with the exception of my new cardigan which is still wet from the dryer. Who knew clothes dried faster if you put more than one item of clothing in there? Well, shut up, I didn't.

We made it to the church on time, fabulousness. As I got out of the car I remembered, far too late, that you could see straight through my skirt in direct sunlight and the sun had not yet set. Awkward!! We walked to the church quickly, my head held high. Can't tell if they're staring at me if I'm not looking at them. We were in the back of the church, so we were like, the first people Karen saw when she started walking down the aisle. Later she said, "I was so glad to see Ann's date was Devon." Haha. It's a committed relationship, if not always understood. The wedding was beautiful. Karen's brother cried. Sean probably won't cry at my wedding. Or my union ceremony with Ann, which ever comes first. After the wedding we stood out on the steps for a minute, I'm not sure who we were waiting for. But I noticed a girl that I recognized. Her husband was talking to one of the people that had been sitting in front of us in the church. "Don't I know you?" I asked. "Jacque's friend?" she responded. I was confused and felt as if I shouldn't like her. In fact I was quite sure I was not supposed to like her, so I stared awkwardly at the floor and walked across the street. Later I mentioned it to Jacque and she was like, "Yeah, that's so-and-so. We don't like her anymore, so you were right." Woot! Am becoming master of the social snub. We drove across the street to the CVS without too much car parking drama, just the right amount (because I am indecisive spastic driver in Ft.Worth). We got a bag and paper and began wrapping her gift when we realized that all of the wedding guests could probably see us wrapping this gift as they drove away from the church. I am nothing if not the least bit tacky. But only on occasion.

The reception was at the Stockyards. Delightful, fun, cobbled streets are not friendly to high heeled shoes. That is all I will say. Mediocre DJ, we waited an hour and a half for food, but there was an open bar. That screams a good party. Saw all kinds of camp people. I had so much fun! Toni began talking about camp and unfortunately Ann forced me to spill a well guarded secret about my extra-curricular activities during one of our 20s off from camp. Am still embarrassed and feel very awkward. But it is good to know that the crap of the summer is still bothering people besides myself. On the way home Ann and I discussed things we could do to make camp better and I felt very proactive.

After I dropped her off, I began thinking about the wedding and camp and CITS. Of the huge group that I was in, four of us were at Karen's wedding. It made me unbelievably giddy to see two people, one of whom I care a lot about, so very happy together. It was heart-warming. I wonder if any of my CITs will be dancing at my wedding?

P.S. Ann and I wrote our own message on the inside of a blank card. We gave her an ice bucket and the message went something like this. "Karen- For all of our hot nights together. We wish you all the best. Love, Ann and Devon." Nothing if not the least bit tacky.