Braces Make A Guest Appearance At A Wedding

Manhattan would've been a great backdrop for any wedding. Alas, the wedding I attended yesterday was held in Jersey.

But it WAS in a country club. Jewish and lavish. I'm sure it's not PC to say so, but country clubs still feel very Old Boys' Club. Whiskey and cigars were readily available - so here you see me posing as one of the boys, complete with the suit jacket! (A dress simply didn't cut it if you were outside for a smoke.) Cigar's not my thing, really - I'd have preferred a fake chocolate "cigar" instead. Tant pis. ;)

I was re-applying lip stick in front of the mirror at the ladies' when two little old ladies hurried in. One said - "Oh I have to check my braces and make sure nothing's stuck on there" - and proceeded to the sink next to mine. She's probably in her 60s, with gray hair, in a dress that reminded me of both Queen Elizabeth and Sophia (from Golden Girls - why do I know such things?) at the same time. To my amazement, she opened her lips - and there they were! Braces! She quickly checked them, removed a toothbrush from her purse, and began brushing vigorously. "It's so much work! I have to do this every time I eat." She looked over at me with the outburst.

"I just had my braces removed about two months ago," the memories flashed back vividly, "it was a lot of work indeed!" I agreed.

We chatted a little longer about the wonders of braces and parted our ways. Half way through the reception someone patted me on the back. I turned around and saw a friendly face. It was the petite old lady with the braces. "Keep that smile on!" She flashed a bright smile of her own and disappeared into the crowd.