"Three Democrats and a German"--a one-act play put on 38 years ago today
In December of 1981, my brother called me up in Boston, where I was at the time, and asked me if I wanted to be best man at a wedding--his. I said sure, when? He said April 10 of the next year, which was 1982. His then-girlfriend was from Japan, and couldn't stay with him in the States without marrying him. Since she had decided her career prospects in Japan were limited to what she was at the time (a bank teller), she wanted to live in the USA anyway, and go for something bigger. In a few years she was head of the World Bank's Asia desk in Washington, so her choice was a good one.
Anyway, I said sure, I'd love to do it. I then said I should call up MY girlfriend in Germany and ask if she could make it as well. He immediately said, "well, if you BOTH are going to be there, why not join in?" Hmmm, a double wedding! cool. And I needed make NONE of the arrangements. DOUBLY cool. But there was one other person that had to give her OK to the plan before it could happen.
So, I called up my then-girlfriend in Germany and told her my brother was getting married in Washington in April of next year, and could I tell him she would be there? She said unhesitatingly, "absolutely! Of course I'll be there!" Then I told her about his suggestion about the double wedding. She said, "sure, that works for me." Not the most romantic of proposals or acceptances, but we had been together for 8 years anyway, and it's not like either of us was planning for a life with someone else anyway. We found out later that my brother's suggestion was a spontaneous one, and he had NOT talked it over with his wife-to be. She was not thrilled, but took it like a trooper, and so on April 10th, 1982, we had our improbable "Axis Wedding (the Washington press called it that, but not in print, since my dad was a member)" in Arlington, Virginia.
[URL=
.html][IMG]
[/IMG][/URL]
Because of his security clearance, my brother's wife was forced to take U.S. citizenship. Fortunately, she didn't care, and that made for one more Virginia Democrat. My wife never saw any reason to seek US citizenship, as she never intended to move there permanently.
So, here we are, locked down in suburban Düsseldorf, luckily with a master chef (my wife) to make us dinner tonight. The years have been kinder to her than to me:
[URL=
.html][IMG]
[/IMG][/URL] but she has fought (and beaten) cancer twice, so is hasn't been a free ride for her, either.
Our two baby girls are babies no longer:
[URL=
.html][IMG]
[/IMG][/URL]
And the next generation has made its initial appearance as well.
And when I die
and when I'm dead, dead and gone,
There'll be one child born and
a world to carry on, to carry on
= new reply since forum marked as read
But being the only man, I am considered odd no matter how you look at it
-Laelth
And what a wonderful story! 
Last edited Sat Apr 11, 2020, 03:29 AM - Edit history (1)
One of the greatest unsung wits of the 20th century. Maybe of the 19th, too, but that ended when he was 6 years old.
When he was 99, he sent out Christmas cards with a photo of himself, looking very much his age, and the caption, "Compliments of the Seasoned."
He was born in New York because some of his ancestors were deadbeat Mississippi riverboat gamblers who fled their debts, survived the Depression by accompanying other parents' children to his kids' school, earning the few dimes a day he could scrape up to feed his family. It was either acquire a sense of humor or sink into despair. He made the right choice. He, too, had two daughters. One (my mom) married happily. The other didn't, though one of her kids turned out OK.
My wife and I so far have only one grandchild. That doubles in about 8 weeks. The one we have is almost 23 months old. She is already quite the character, demanding, intellectually curious beyond belief, and incredibly focused (maybe scarily so for one so young) when she concentrates on something. Here she is last summer at her (and our) first visit to a 600 year old winery at a monastery in Hessia ("The Name Of The Rose" was filmed here). Exploring and taking in every new impression she can get:
[URL=
.html][IMG]
[/IMG][/URL]
And that you - probably more Mrs DFW 
- are fabulously successful.
Congratulations on the anniversary.
I have been to that winery/convention center as well, and happened to be there on a day when there was a choral/medieval chant group to perform there one evening. I happened to be walking past the outdoor chapter house when the croup decided to spontaneously practice one of their songs. Amazing acoustics.
It was sublime.
Beautiful place.