My brother got married in 1997, about a year and a half after I did. It was quite a day. You should have been there.
As he had been for me, I was the Best Man for the wedding. For those of you who have not had the experience, the position generally entails coordinating the other groomsmen in directing pedestrian traffic toward their seats for the service, keeping the groom distracted enough to get through the pre-wedding part, and then giving a speech at the reception – preferably one that the happy couple will remember fondly rather than drink to forget. It’s an honor.
Another part of that tradition is that the groom gives a gift to all of the groomsmen. My brother gave us each a bottle of Dom Perignon and told us to save it for something special.
I carted that bottle around for nearly a quarter century. It’s come up from its little storage place on several occasions and holidays, and I’ve even carried it with us a couple of times when Kim and I went back to the little B&B in Dubuque where we got engaged, though somehow in all that time we never managed to open it. We’re not teetotalers, but neither is drinking a huge part of our life.
But last night when the four of us were having our New Year’s Eve dinner and celebrating Oliver’s 21st birthday the conversation turned to champagne and from there to Really Good Champagne, and you know – why not. So I went down to the basement fridge where it was chilling, brought it back upstairs, and we opened it up.
It was really good.
As he had been for me, I was the Best Man for the wedding. For those of you who have not had the experience, the position generally entails coordinating the other groomsmen in directing pedestrian traffic toward their seats for the service, keeping the groom distracted enough to get through the pre-wedding part, and then giving a speech at the reception – preferably one that the happy couple will remember fondly rather than drink to forget. It’s an honor.
Another part of that tradition is that the groom gives a gift to all of the groomsmen. My brother gave us each a bottle of Dom Perignon and told us to save it for something special.
I carted that bottle around for nearly a quarter century. It’s come up from its little storage place on several occasions and holidays, and I’ve even carried it with us a couple of times when Kim and I went back to the little B&B in Dubuque where we got engaged, though somehow in all that time we never managed to open it. We’re not teetotalers, but neither is drinking a huge part of our life.
But last night when the four of us were having our New Year’s Eve dinner and celebrating Oliver’s 21st birthday the conversation turned to champagne and from there to Really Good Champagne, and you know – why not. So I went down to the basement fridge where it was chilling, brought it back upstairs, and we opened it up.
It was really good.
You can’t save things forever. All you can do is wait for a good time to use them, and then remember the stories that go with them. And if you can make stories connect to each other, then so much the better.
Excellent. We have a few bottles that have sadly been held do long waiting for the right time that they are likely now vinegar 😢. Delighted that you had the right moment and the inspiration to seize it.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I was a bit worried that we'd waited too long, but it turned out okay.
ReplyDeleteYou know, if you're wondering about those bottles, today might be a good time to open them up and find out! This date only comes once a year, after all, so you might as well celebrate. :)