Friday, February 18, 2011

Wet Wedding

There was something poignant about the festive straw hat swathed in a veil. It was meant to be worn in the bright sunshine, not half-hidden under the shelter of a two-tone golf umbrella.

The wearer was part of a small wedding party of about half a dozen people, and I imagined she was the mother of the bride. Somehow, she was the one whose image remained in my mind afterward.

I met the group emerging from the Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, bracing themselves to plunge into the dark wintry rain outside.

What brought them there? Among the small coffee and snack shops in the glass-roofed library concourse, I could imagine none that would be a suitable venue for a wedding reception.

Perhaps the couple got married in the library, or wanted wedding photos taken there.

And if that's the case, thereby hangs a tale. Though I have no idea what the real story may be, my imagination is perfectly willing to create one to serve in its place.

Here's one possibility: perhaps they met and fell in love in the library. Second only to their promises to each other, they've both sworn fealty to books.

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