Rules of Engagement

Today I received my unofficial invitation (no pun intended) to get out of Provo - a wedding invitation from a stranger.

Unlike some post-BYU and still single girls, I really like getting announcements for upcoming weddings. It's interesting to see who looks more grown up, who looks younger than when you last saw them. Learning the names of your friends parents who you have never met, noticing whether the chosen font is unique or some unfortunate form of papyrus or lucida handwriting, whether the future newlyweds were instructed on appropriate hand placement in their photo(s) or if they are soon to be submitted here. Overall - I enjoy checking out annoucements and invitations.

After scanning the names of the bride or groom's parents on the return address label this afternoon with no recognition, I opened the envelope and wasn't able to recognize either names OR faces of the betrothed. What? The name of the girl is really different, there's no way that I would simply forget or get her confused with any run-of-the-mill named girls I have met here in the last 3 years. The guy is unfamiliar - I am certain that we've never met, and boys send out fewer announcements to their platonic friends in the first place .

So there it sits on the bookcase, the possible addition to the already crowded refrigerator, primed for a congratulatory card and gift (but not attendance to the reception, obviously.)
I've officially been bested on this one - Provo has won, I daresay. I've met enough people, been in enough wards, and attended enough parties. I'm tired. And worse, I'm curious.

Maybe Next Year

Big Brown,

I thought that this was your year - I had such high hopes! And your jockey was wearing stars, aren't those supposed to be good luck? This was it you know; you were supposed to be the triple crown winner, the first in thirty years... I guess as a consolation you can just remember that your net worth now is greater than what I'll ever make. Hats off to you, pal.