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I, of course, was helping out in my own initimitable style. |
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...but eventually I had to get ready. I have never paid so much
attention to my appearance in my life; I washed my hair (such as it is) three times —
once by mistake — shaved twice, and tied my ponytail in the shower so I wouldn't have
any stray hairs coming out. I was so nervous. Fortunately, my uncle,
all-around good guy and Best Man, helped me with the suspenders, which I had never had to
wear before. Later that week I found that I had entered the chunky Guy range
when, while trying to buy a suit for Jim's wedding, the salesman kept repeatedly referring
to my abnormal "three-inch drop." Most people have a seven-inch drop,
which was his way of saying "You're a fat pig and you'd better wear suspenders to not
look like a fuh-reak.". But in this case, I didn't mind. You
need suspenders for a good tux, man. Even if it meant I couldn't go to the bathroom
unaided for the rest of the night. |
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As you can see in this picture, I am not at ease. Why?
Because frankly, I had to read the most personal thing I may have ever written out loud in
front of a crowd of people... and I was starting to panic. But this is me, in
suspenders. Tres sexy, no? Even with the drop. (g) |
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Whereas my mother, who is a Grand Poobah of the Amaranth and don't you
forget that, is way used to dressing up. (Plus, she didn't have the added pressure
in being one of the two starring roles, if you know what I'm saying.) This dress was
bought through mail-order, turned out to be the wrong size — a calf-length dress came
down to my ankles, and I'm half a foot taller than she is — and had to be sent back
in emergency time for the wedding. And yet it showed up, and my God, my Mom looked
mighty pretty. Dont'cha think? |
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However, once we both got going I say we painted the town in style.
I remember this shot very clearly and it's one of the prime moments of the wedding
for me; I looked good. My Mom looked good. I hadn't seen Gini that day, but
I'd seen her in that black velvet cocktail dress and I know she could have made men weep
that day. There was a gentle breeze blowing across the concrete porch at the front
of my old house, and everything just started to fall into place. I began to feel at
ease. And I thought — maybe, since panicking continually since 8:30 that
morning — that this could work. |
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