A Wedding Present

 A Wedding Present   

     The next day started out better.  Everyone was working together to get things ready.  The church was available on Saturday of the week, so we could travel back to Stanford as planned.  We decided on an early afternoon ceremony with a short reception afterward and then leave on our honeymoon drive to Stanford.  Arnie had been gone most of the morning and when he returned he asked us to ride with him to Cheney.  He said he had a wedding present in mind, but needed us to help make a decision. 

            

     The trip seemed short and he had us guessing when he pulled up at Brown and Holder Chevrolet.  He led us into the show room, gesturing toward a new automobile and asked if it would be all right as a wedding gift.  It was a red and white1956 Bel Air.  I had never seen a more beautiful car.  We both thanked him repeatedly and Marie gave him a hug.  His logic came out in the question, ”now will you come and see us sometime?” I also saw his concern about our travel in the old Ford disappear.  I knew I had to get the Ford back to Grandpa, but that would be a job for another time.  It was going to be such a thrill traveling back in that beautiful new car.

     Mr. Brown, the owner had been watching from the side lines with a broad grin.  He approached us and said the car could be picked up tomorrow.  They would service it now and have it ready.  As we shook hands he congratulated me and said he would miss watching me on the basketball court.  That caught me by surprise and I thanked him.  I learned later Arnie was a long time customer of Brown & Holder.  Mr. Brown must have given Arnie a good reference about me.

     We worked out a plan for the day of the wedding which was to park the Bel Air at the bride’s maid parent’s home which was close to the church.  We would bring the Ford from Saint John to the wedding, loaded with all of our belongings.  After the ceremony and short reception the contents of the Ford would be moved to the Bel Air and off we would go leaving the Ford parked to be retrieved later.  There was the hope that by keeping the Bel Air out of sight it wouldn’t get the traditional decoration.  Dewey had agreed to act as best man and his girlfriend Esther agreed to serve as maid of honor.  Marie had become friends with her on our college outings.  Dewey said he would help move cars and luggage.

     The plan was coming together and the church was taking care of the reception.  Marie and I had to run to Spokane to pick up the ring we had chosen and placed on lay-away last spring.  The Ford was leaking more and became hot on the way.  With no service station in sight I had to resort to filling the radiator from a small stream that passed under the road.  It was a thrill to see the ring on Marie’s finger, but it had to go back in the box which I kept in my pocket until presented at the ceremony.   We had the same water problem on the way back which was by way of Cheney.  Marie moved the Bel Air over to our friend Esther’s parent’s house in preparation for the car switch the following day, our wedding day!  It was a short distance from Brown and Holder to Esther’s parents, but I could tell the drive was a thrill for Marie.  I tagged along with the Ford and after a short visit with Esther we continued our drive to Saint John.

*Taken from "Which Road Should I Follow?, Volume 2, Roles and Responsibilities of an Educator", an autobiography by Edwin K. Hill.