The Wedding Story.

Nearly five years ago the Harbor Master, whom I will call Christina for the purposes of this story, walked into a restaurant called Waffles & Cream.

Her car had broken down in the middle of the city near our base camp. She had called in the Admiral, who had come accompanied by the Commodore. He determined that the problem was not one that could be swiftly or easily fixed and in an attempt to console Christina, he and the Commodore took her out to lunch.

It happened that working away at Waffles & Cream was a young man who went by the name of RC. It also happened that upon seeing the beautiful Christina he was completely awestruck.

He began speaking to her, and soon discovered that her birthday was not very far off. He promised to have a birthday card ready if only the fair Christina would return then.
Christina, being in an amiable mood and being encouraged by the Commodore, agreed to come again on her birthday. She did, and much to her embarrassment, RC was nowhere to be found. Feeling very foolish, Christina had no choice. She knew that she could never again set foot in Waffles & Cream, no matter how good their milkshakes were.
A few days later, with her decision to steer clear of Waffles & Cream still fresh on her mind, Christina walked into a restaurant called Larry's for a bite to eat. As it happened, working away waiting tables at Larry's was a young man who went by the name of RC. It seemed that he had abandoned Waffles & Cream and with little hope of encountering Christina again, he had taken the birthday card out of his car. Once again, he begged her to return, and once again, Christina agreed.
When she came back the next day, Christina received the birthday card she had been waiting for. Here, RC made his first near fatal blunder. He spelled her name Christy. How could he!? She didn't even look like a Christy!
After apologizing, RC invited Christina back any time she wanted lunch. To this Christina replied "Why do I have to do all the work?" and RC cleverly asked for her phone number. Nonetheless, Christina insisted on driving herself to her first date.
A week or so later, RC made his second near fatal slip. Christina had been unable to find a mechanic to fix her car. Being an independent sort of person, she had decided to take automotive mechanic classes and fix it herself. When she mentioned this to RC over lunch, he answered, "But you're so delicate."
Christina did not believe herself to be delicate, but she did like RC and after he wrote her a poem about being a frog prince, she got over it, and let him drive her home from their next date. When he came to the house, one of Christina's sisters was so nervous that she tripped over a large glass jar and broke it, but he brought pizza and instantly won over Christina's brothers.

A year passed and Christina left for school. When she returned at Christmas break, RC was waiting still.

When RC proposed, he truly took Christina by surprise, so much so that her first thought was "Well he won't surprise me next time." Fortunately, there was no need for a next time. RC had become such a normal fixture in Christina's life that he was even permitted to come along when Christina and her sisters declared a girls' night out. By doing this, he earned himself the title of sister-like-figure. Though he objected to the title, he never offered to relinquish the privileges that it provided him. 

Years passed by, and as the day of Christina's graduation drew closer, she and RC finally chose a date and the day drew nearer for the happy couple.

Finally, all was ready. Four and a half years, a four foot tall frog, and a cake topper that had come all the way from Manitou Springs, CO and there we were, at the day of the wedding.

Getting ready.

There he is.

And there she is.

Altogether now.

 

  

First Dance.

Another Dance.

The cake.

The cake topper.

 

Cutting the cake.

Eating the cake.

 

Aim carefully.

 

Or ask for assistance.

 

When all else fails, call in the Marines.

 

 All's well that ends well.