Road Bump

I hit a road bump today on the road to marriage. The pastor at the church we booked bailed on us. Well, it's not much bailing, as not being available.

We booked the church - a lovely stone country church with stained-glass windows - way back at Thanksgiving. The pastor at the church died just before we got there, and the teary-eyed church ladies assured us they would have a new pastor by the time our wedding rolled around. So last week, I called the church lady and asked about the pastor. She said they have a new one, Pastor George Something-something (he's Japanese) and he's on vacation but he will call me as soon as he gets back.

He's back. And he called me today. When I asked him, very politely, if he would perform the ceremony, he said he was away. And he left it at that. While I stroked out on the other end. I tried to stay calm as he explained that he doesn't work all the time and his time off is September 19th. My left side went numb. I told him the invites have gone out and we have put a deposit down and plans have been made. He suggested we meet on Sunday the 14th or "better yet" Saturday the 20th. I snapped. Those two futile days he offered as plan B sucked and I could feel the shrillness build in my voice when I asked him to find an option for us. He said he'd make a call. He might know someone.

Thank god, he does. His name is Reverend Al McNeil, and he's a retired pastor in the area. Useless George gave me his number and I fought the urge to tell Useless to bite me.

The piece de resistance is that before Useless gave me Revered McNeil's number, he grilled me on if I had any church connections in Lamont. WHAT?!? I don't think I as polite as I should have been when I said no, Byron's side doesn't go to church and any connections I may have had are way back in Nova Scotia so NO, George, I do not have church connections here. I wanted to add for good measure to shut it and give me Al's number.

Al is delightful. He sounds like an old man who is full of business. He is available, he wants to meet with us the week before, and he sounds reliable. I like him. Now I am braced for more bumps to come in the next forty days. 40 days! Aiiiieee!

Bracingly Yours,
xoxoSallyt