An Ancient Tale Of An Experience In Llano

Apologies to my recently adopted son, Rufus, who has suggested some topics, which I fully intend to get around to. The topics suggested by Rufus will require some deep, concentrated thought. This did not.

The following is my account of the "Blue Moon Wedding", which took place in Llano in the back yard of the Dabbs Hotel. I have decided that I would post this (more or less) for my Flickrfriend Kathy, in New South Wales, who expressed an interest. The account is contemporary with the wedding, which took place quite a long time ago, and was originally posted on the door of my office. It is by no means a complete account of The Blue Moon Wedding, but I always limited my "door hangers" to a single page.

Some people who saw the originally posted door hanger thought it was fiction, but it was not.

THE WEDDING - 3/31/99

WE ARRIVED JUST IN TIME FOR THE ASSEMBLED CROWD TO SAY “HURRY, WE NEED YOU FOR PICTURES!” SHORTLY I WAS STANDING IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE DABBS HOTEL WITH A DOUBLE BARRELED 20 GAGE FROWNING DOWN ON BILLY, WHO WAS ON HIS KNEES “PROPOSING” TO MY BABY DAUGHTER LAUREN.

I HARDLY HAD TIME TO TURN AROUND WHEN I SPOTTED LAUREN IN HER LONG DRESS SITTING ATOP AN OLD UPRIGHT WHICH RESIDED ON THE PORCH. IN FANCY LETTERS PAINTED ACROSS THE FRONT WAS “THE LLANO PIANO”. OF COURSE WE ALL WONDERED IF MAYBE IT WAS THE ONLY PIANO IN TOWN. HOW SHE GOT THERE SO FAST WILL ALWAYS REMAIN A MYSTERY TO ME.

THE WEDDING WENT WELL. THE PREACHER WAS DRESSED IN A CHOIR ROBE WORN TO RESEMBLE A DUSTER SUCH AS YOU SEE IN WESTERN MOVIES, WITH A BOWLER HAT. BILLY WAS WEARING A VEST AND A THIRTIES MODEL STRAW HAT.

THE MUSICIAN WAS PLAYING HIS GUITAR, A TUNE WHICH I MIGHT HAVE HEARD EARLIER IN THE DAY, WHEN I TUNED TO SHOWTIME AND SAW A LITTLE BIT OF “ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST”. LAUREN CAME OUT OF THE BACK DOOR OF THE HOTEL, LOOKING JUST LIKE THE FRONTIER BELLE AND APPROACHED THE PREACHER AND BILLY WHO WERE WAITING, HATS IN HAND.

THE PREACHER WAS A LOCAL PERFORMER OF THE AUSTIN AREA AND GOOD FRIEND OF THE GROOM’S, GUY FORSYTH. HE ANNOUNCED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAD PAID FOR THE FOUR STAR DELUXE WEDDING, BILLY HAD TOLD HIM TO “CUT TO THE CHASE”, SO IN JUST ABOUT HALF A MINUTE, MY DAUGHTER WAS MARRIED, AND THE PREACHER BEGAN TO SING “DO YOU MIIIND SOMEONE GRINNIN’ IN YOUR FACE”. THEN WE ALL PREPARED TO GET ON WITH THE EATING. A BONFIRE WAS KINDLED DOWN ON THE BANK OF THE LLANO RIVER, AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.

IT HAD BEEN CLOUDY ALL DAY, AND THE PROSPECTS FOR THE BLUE MOON, WHICH WAS THE ONLY REASON FOR HAVING THIS WEDDING AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, DID NOT SEEM LIKELY. BUT AT AROUND 8:30, SOMEONE SAID “THERE IT IS”, AND WE LOOKED UP AT THE FULL MOON IN ALL ITS GLORY, SHINING AMONG THE RAPIDLY MOVING CLOUDS.



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