Friday, August 11, 2006

Marriage has done wonders for my social life

So yes, PastaQueen, I did get picked up running in Las Vegas. There was absolutely no doubt about the guy's intent, and it was completely hilarious.

Each morning we were there [Saturday, Sunday and Monday] I was up and out of the hotel at or before 6 a.m., which was probably the lowest temperature [Eighty. Degrees. Fahrenheit.] of the day. I ran about 2.5 miles down the Strip one way, crossed the street and came back up the other direction. [In an hour! No hills, unless you count the staircases that take you up and over the intersections.]

Since Las Vegas never sleeps, there actually are quite a few people out at that hour of the day. Some are still partying, some are going to work, some are coming home from work. Some are working [if you get my drift]. How do they walk in those shoes?

And then there are the runners. You notice each other, smile and nod and keep moving.

Saturday morning [my wedding day; could I be any more virtuous getting out and running the morning I get married?] I passed the same guy twice. Next day we saw each other again and high-fived. Monday morning he saw me first, stopped and asked me if I wanted to go have a cocktail. [Snort!]

I should have taken a picture of myself at the end of a run, just so you guys could see how absolutely attractive I must have been. Sweaty t-shirt, baggy running shorts, hair every which way, bright-red face – I'm a real looker when I work out! Anyway, it was funny and fun, and Mr. Shrinking Knitter got a kick out of the story, too.

For Greta, [I almost typed "Great" again!] who asked for more details about the chapel wedding: Our original plan was to have a civil ceremony at the Marriage Bureau. But there were these people outside the license bureau, offering a limo ride to their chapel and back to our hotel, an immediate ceremony with a witness, photos and a rose. We got sucked into the tacky fun of it. I'm just glad they were somewhat honest. Ahem.

The first thing that happened when we got to the chapel were the photos, six very fast poses and we both look kind of dazed. [Greta, if you go into the Vegas wedding chapel photo business, give your subjects just a bit more time to compose themselves.] The minister [Pastor Chip] talked us through the ritual, then flung open the doors and introduced Mr. and Mrs. Shrinking Knitter [he, of course, used our real names] to the various perfect-stranger couples waiting in the lobby. I was laughing so hard I didn't have time to even notice their reactions.

So today, I leave you with the tackiest pose of the six. I actually think we look better – more natural and like we're having a good time – in this photo, but I've never seen a shot like this in anyone else's wedding photos.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am impressed,very much so, that you ran on the morning of your wedding; and that you declined the offered cocktail! The wedding photo is great on so many levels. Sort of an "Alice Through the Looking Glass" feel to it. Mr. Stretchy got a big kick out of it.
We had a NYC City Hall wedding (orange plasic chairs in the dingy waiting area, brides in all types of elaborate dress or distress waiting there, our number was called over a loudspeaker (how classy) and we crammed into a really tiny chapel room with two friends to witness. The guy who married us was the Speedtalking Champion of NY, but he did ask us how our names were pronounced before he started--altho a bit dazed, we couldn't stop grinning.)

Mr. Stretchy has always wanted a Vegas "insta Capel" wedding for fun. Being rushed through the "procedure" adds to the surreal feel, and it is very hard to be a Bridezilla when you are #17 and others are waiting outside to tie the knot. The only way this would be funnier had you met Mr. Shrinking Knitter at a speed dating get together.

Vickie said...

Two things: Congratulations on your wedding!! Hooray!! =)And you look fabulous!!

ps--LOVE the running story. And the photo! =)

Jennette Fulda said...

Congrats! That's too funny about the pick up. If I had known sweaty chicks in baggy clothing were such objects of attention, I could have saved a lot of money on soap over the years :)