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| Sunday, 21 July 2002 |
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The two of us were sitting at the foot of our favourite tree in our part of the forest-you know, as King and Queen we just cant be everywhere and anywhere unless we choose to reminisce about a wedding we attended in the early years of the Midweek Meander days. It was the only wedding we went to because the bride was a good friend of mine-that's Tit-and,like all women, I love weddings and brides. That 1983 bride was a beauty. I recall describing her unusual floral headdress of a mix of coloured fresh flowers, predominantly marigolds if I remember right. 'Yes, they were marigolds. That was Oberon; he has an eye and a memory for beauty. We both meandered at that wedding which was held in a church in a busy part of the city. 'Do you remember she wore an antique lace veil?' Oberon being a king has an eye for things such as antique lace veils. Yes,I well remember that beautiful veil flowing over the bride's jet black hair, and the white silk sari bordered in red-very unusual-and the coloured flowers mixed into her bouquet. 'I wonder what happened to her?' Oberon was in a mood for reminiscing. But we had to think about the wedding we had to attend in a few days time-again a good friend of mine. I reminded Ob that we had to get ready to meander once again at a wedding-almost two decades since the last one. We get quite excited about weddings, do Ob and I, because we think they are the most beautiful occasions to attend, what with all that grand music and food and flowers and people kissing each other and dancing and merry-making. Ob loves weddings, unlike most men. But most men are so boring, unlike Ob. It was a balmy evening with the summer sun setting late, so that a rosy hue hung over the day which was warm-perhaps much too warm-as it always is in summer unless you meander to Nuwara Eliya to get away from the heat. Our wedding clothes were designed-and sewn- by Starveling who, as you may know, is an expert tailor and sometimes likes to design as well. Oberon's clothes were out of this world-a gold body-stocking entirely worked over in green and gold sequins. His headdress was of gold and green and he carried a gorgeous fan of peacock feathers. Mine were also done by Starveling. He did them in my favourite pink almost completely covered in gold sequins and crystals with a headdress of pink osprey feathers to match the long earrings of pink diamonds and my glass slippers. We floated off into the pink and blue evening, but as there was some turbulence, our entourage of Puck, Quince and Starveling had to act as seat belts to stabilise us. We did not attend the church ceremony because Oberon is a bit of a stickler when it comes to religion and only goes to churches attended by the queen-Elizabeth, that is. So we meandered in the direction of the hotel where the wedding reception was being held. As we floated down into the heart of what had been a busy and air-polluted day in what they call the Fort in Sri Lanka,the happy couple were standing outside the great hall where the reception was to be held, waiting for th auspicious moment to enter. We being king and queen, auspicious moments have to wait for us, which is very convenient because we aren't always on time; we cant be, because we do not travel in conventional ways unless we absolutely have to. The reception hall was ablaze with lights and flowers, crystal and silver on the tables and the wedding cake waiting to be cut. We sat exactly where we wished and because we are invisible to lesser mortals, do exactly as we wish. Then the Wedding March began-Mendelssohn's, of course-and in walked one of the most beautiful brides we had ever seen, with her elegant bridegroom. Oberon actually caught his breath when he saw her, and Puck rushed up to get a closer look, right from her feet up. Starveling was gawking at her beautiful clothes and making notes for his design board. The bride was a vision in white tulle with glistening touches at the border and subtly in the sari. Her satiny, ivory complexion was set off by white roses in her upswept hairdo, and the most sumptuous jewellery of pearls and diamonds in platinum. She seemed to glide on glass slippers and as she moved, the sequins, beads and crystals on her blouse glistened like jewels. We drank to the couple in champagne, wine and aperitifs before dinner. Puck,Quince and Starveling managed to have more champagne than the other guests and drank several toasts to the couple. But we couldn't take our eyes off the bride. She looked as if she had come floating down from another time, another age, yet belonging very much to this. The guests got onto the dance floor and Ob and I floated on as well, not to miss out on the celebrations. Ob's quite good on the floor; he loves the pounding beat and can dance the night away. Puck and the other two were having a good time dancing in between the couples because they too are invisible, and what with all that champagne... But we had to think of floating back home. However, if it got too late, a certain prince and princess in the forests of Sri Lanka were going to put us up for the night. Their messengers were in the hotel awaiting our command. Sometimes it gets a bit tiring floating all the way back to England after a gala time. And besides, we didn't mind the idea of a night in the forests of the magical island..forests abounding with exotic animals and birds. 'Tiger, tiger, burning bright, in the forests of the night...... That was Puck, in high spirits, showing off that he knew Kipling. |
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