Congratulations Tim & Denise!

Well I'm a complete mess.  I'm sobbing and sniffling.  My nose is running and I'm using every muscle in my jaw to smile and frown at the same time.  Going to a Broadcast feed of a Wedding of a dear friend is exhausting! 

But, I love him.  He has been my friend since the age of 17 and Teller Training School for a bank that we both worked for.  It was like our first jobs ever and I wasn't even out of high school yet.   Tim and I dated when we were just kids really.  We were in the car together driving to his house after class one day when they announced on the radio that Elvis had died.  Dang, that's a long time ago.  Anyway, Tim and I have some wonderful memories together and I cherish every one.  Especially the one today.  I'll tell you about it in a minute. 

Tim was (and still is) a cool dude.  Always wearing the most fashionable clothing, always driving the hottest cars.  A really great family too.  I will never forget, however, the day he asked me to marry him.  I was shocked - not to mention still a sniveling idiot.  I told him I couldn't.  Well, he wasn't about to take "no" for an answer and sent me a red rose every day for about 2 months hoping that I would reconsider.  I just wasn't ready.  Duh.  I mean, we were both 17 for Goodness Sakes!  Nevertheless, we have always remained good friends, seeing each other on occasion, and always remembering each other's birthday every year since.  I can always count on Tim to send me a birthday card. 

I remember one day, Tim and I were driving home from class in his car down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC.  It was hot as hell-fire and the traffic was backed up wall to wall.  It was just not moving at all.  We were in the right lane next to this sidewalk and an iron rail fence.  I happened to glance over and noticed that there was an elderly man lying face down on the sidewalk.  It freaked me out and I told Tim I had to see if he was okay.  Tim said "Are you crazy?!!!

We're moving now, I can't stop the car!  I have nowhere to park this thing, Susan, no, you can't get out.  You can't get out of the car here - I mean now - I mean, you can't get out of the car now, are you nuts?!!!!!"  Of course I'm nuts, Tim, and by now I know you surely know it.  Still, with cloggin' high heels (it was the 70s) and a flirty dress with cap sleeves, and panty hose (Lordy did I ever hate those things) I got out of the car and started running back towards this poor black man lying face down on the pavement.  I started hopping on one foot and removing my shoes till I was running in my panty hose.

Tim was afraid for me.  He told me to be careful and that I was completely crazy and that I didn't know if this could be a hoax or something.  I knew in my heart - instinctfully - that this man was hurt and I, yes I, was going to come to his rescue.  What surprised me the most was that with all the traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue that day, that nobody stopped but us.  Not one person - until I rolled him over and started giving him CPR.  I don't know where I learned it, (must have seen it on TV or something), but I ripped open his button-down shirt, put my ear to his chest and didn't hear a heartbeat.  I pressed on his chest and started to give him CPR. He looked to be about 60 or so and was an average built man.  Here I was, all of 17 years old, in 100 degree heat, on a sidewalk just a few blocks from the White House giving mouth-to-mouth to a complete stranger.  That was when people started to come from their cars to see if they could help.  Tim was standing behind me just watching like we were in some movie or something.  I think he was in shock.  Me, I was SuperWoman!  Oh, excuse me, I was SuperGirl!

Someone next to me now said that they had asked someone to ask someone to ask someone else to call an ambulance.  You have to remember something here - this was the 70s - there was no such thing as mobile phones.  Heck, car phones didn't exist either, and finding a pay phone was slim to none around the White House.  What were we going to do?  Go knock on Gerald Ford's door and say, "hey buddy, we need to borrow a phone, there's a guy kissin' the sidewalk without a heartbeat."  I don't think so!

It was 10-15 minutes later, but the ambulance finally arrived.  He had to drive on the sidewalk to get to where we were, but they got there just the same.  The good news is that I got the man breathing again, and although he was woozy and wasn't completely conscious, I saved a life that day.  I know it, and Tim knows it, and the poor man, whoever he is, well, he knows it too.  Oh, and God knows it.

I never got his name.  One of the paramedics looked at me that day and said "You saved this man's life young lady, you should be very proud of yourself. That was a selfless act and not many people would have done what you did." 

It was strange to think about what he had said to me.  It is strange to think about it even today, because for me it was a natural instinct to jump right in and help this human being who had had a heart attack in the heat - that is what the paramedic said it appeared had happened. Fortunately, it had happened probably a minute or so before I saw him lying there helpless.

Doesn't it bother anyone in this world that we don't care for one another?  Shouldn't humanity care about all other humanity?  That's just the way I am I guess and I don't care what anyone says or where I am, I would do it again in a heartbeat. 

That was a defining moment in my life.  I know it was for Tim too.  We were forever bonded by this man on the street and a friendship that was defined by laughter, tears, hugs, and good memories.

The years passed and I went in a different direction after declining Tim's proposal and so did he.  I went to work at my father's restaurant - The Olney Inn - that burned down in 1978 - and besides,  I wanted to date hot muffins from the Naval Academy.  Tim was pissed.  Then I started dating this 33 yr old Italian Stallion at my father's restaurant who played the accordion and sang love songs and made all the women drool and slobber and melt - like butter on a very hot - ouchy hot - muffin.  So, I strutted my skinny little stuff around the Inn and Alberto fell for me too. 

I just ate it up.  Here Alberto was all yummy and everything and he had it bad for me.  He was twice my age!  I had to sneak around with him because my father would definitely not have approved.  And he didn't.  When he found out that Alberto and I were seeing each other, he fired Alberto, but not before Alberto proposed to me at a dinner table with my father and said he would make sure I finished high school.  My father fired him on the spot. "You're fired Buddy - now take your italian butt out of here and don't come back."  Oh well.  It was fun while it lasted.  Yes, I snuck around with Alberto for a little bit more after that firing incident, and that REALLY pissed off Tim.  To this day if you mention Alberto, Tim will turn 3 different shades of violet.  Oh, and yes, I am still friends with Alberto too - even after all these years.  I wonder why that is? hmmm. Let me think about this now.  This is getting deep.

Anyway, Tim got married to someone and that lasted 10 seconds.  He told me he was on the rebound from me and that I made him do it.  Lame excuse Tim.  I mean really lame.  Then he married Renee and they were married for about 20 years and had 2 very handsome and distinguished sons.  Then Renee got ants in her pants and left.  And to think that they had just built a beautiful home in West Virginia with a view to die for.   So Tim was alone again, always promising me that he would fly thru Charlotte and visit - Not.  He's a busy guy people!   

So, this past year he started dating Denise, and Tim was never to be the same.  And just the other day, I received an email from my dear Tim asking me to attend his wedding at the Bellagio in Las Vegas via Satellite Feed on Tuesday night at 6pm.  And so, I did.  I was a complete mess, of course.  I'm not good at weddings or funerals.  I don't even have to know the person and I'm falling apart and people are having to peel me off the floor and throw hords of tissue my way.  Well, maybe I wouldn't go that far.  I was sure happy for them though!

It is pouring like crazy outside and our electricity kept going off and on and I thought I would miss Tim's wedding.  But the good Lord came through and not only did I see his wedding  (Tim was wearing some really hot white pants to match his really cool white hair), but I took some screen shots of it too to share with all you people readers out there in cyber world.

So, let me introduce you to Tim.  Notice the Red Rose on his lapel?  See - Denise gave him the last and final rose.  Smart girl.

I am so happy for Tim.  And, I am so happy for Denise too even though I don't know her - yet.  They look so handsome together.

And this is where they got married at 6pm this evening - The Belligio in Las Vegas:

And this is the Chapel:

And these are the screen shots I took from the Satellite Feed of his wedding:

Beautiful Chapel

And so it does...

Tim enters the chapel - so handsome, so distinguished, so fashionable

Denise enters the chapel - so beautiful, so tanned, so in love

Tim meets her halfway, as all men should and she takes his arm and they stroll to the alter

To Love, Cherish, and Honor...."To Honor?"

Aren't they a beautiful couple?

Oh my

T: "Hey good-lookin?  You free tonight?"

D: "Why sure I'm free.  Actually, tonight I'll be a married woman - not so free anymore.

But a date and a good dinner sounds good."

D: "What do you want - steak? ribs? breasts? thighs? tacos?"

T: "Actually Sweetie, I was thinking more like just going straight to the dessert"

T: "Hmmmm, let's see now, yeap, that's what I want to do - go straight for the dessert"

T: "Oh dear, did that tickle your funny bone?"

Kissy Kissy, Smooch, Smooch, mwaaaah,

D: "Now let's get something straight, When I ask you to do something you say 'Yes Dear.'"

D: "Suddenly I don't feel so well"

D: "Actually, I have something in my eye.  Dang that mascara"

T: "With this ring, my love, I thee wed and agree to say 'Yes Dear' to every question."

T: "Did I get the right size?  I think I might have to lick your finger to get it on"

D: "With this ring, Tim, I thee wed, and agree to be everything you ever dreamed of and hoped for"

T: "Honey Buns, you sure look scrumptious across this table"

D: "This candle represents our love, our life together."

T: "And my promise to honor you and cherish you and to say 'Yes Dear' whenever possible"

D: "I love you so much.  Give me a kiss you hunka - hunka burning love"

D: "Can we please go eat now?" 

T: "Yes Dear"

D & T: "Yay! We did it!  We're hitched!....and hungry"

D: "Sweetheart, there is this cozy little restaurant around the corner with a great view"

D: "Oops, almost forgot to wave to all the people out there.  Wave to the camera Sweetie"

T: "Yes Dear"

D: "I'm Famished!"

T: "Me too." 

D: "Let's blow this pop stand!"

T: "Yes Dear"

Best Wishes Tim and Denise.  You do know that I'm just messin' with ya, right?

I know you didn't really say that.  Well, maybe you did.  Heck, I wouldn't blame you really, I mean - go get you some honey pie and lots of lovin' tonight!  Woohoo! And a good dinner too.

Denise - you have a really, really, really great guy, but you obviously already know that.  Stay sweet.

Congratulations Tim & Denise. 

- Susan