Who Could Play Without A Partner
by Barbara Chadwick

Last evening I played the piano at a wedding. It was at the outdoor pavillion at the University of Alaska in Juneau so, you know, stupendous view, cool weather and - mosquitos.

Kenneth helped me pack up my electric piano (It's too heavy for me to do by myself) to take it out there on Wednesday evening to meet the bride and check things out. We packed it back up and brought it home. Then on Friday evening we packed it up again and went to the wedding rehearsal. The bride called from the hospital to ask if we could all wait for her. She had gotten sick. Her fiancee had taken her to the hospital and now after being treated she would soon be out. "Nerves," someone said. We all waited and cheered when they arrived. The practice went well, even though it was a little late. We repacked the piano and came home.

Saturday afternoon we packed up the piano once again to go get set up for the wedding at 4:30. The bride had chosen all the music for the prelude. The last piece before the processional was the Cinderella Waltz, So This Is Love. I couldn't see the lady directing things so she relayed her signals and comments to Kenneth who gave them to me. But this time she came to me and said, "We're not ready you have to play it again." So I played it three times before the signal came to start the music for the entrance of the wedding party.

The groom repeated his vows, "I take thee," etc., then the bride "... in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, especially after a shopping trip" to which everyone erupted in laughter at her ad libbing. It was all beautiful, of course. As the couple got to the end of the aisle her dress got caught or something and the groom stepped back to fix it before getting in place for the receiving line.

We had to pack up the piano in a hurry and leave in order to get to a wedding at our church at 5:30. This bride and groom are in Kenneth's Sunday School class.

As we entered the sanctuary I spoke to Emmett, the groom. "You look beautiful." He smiled and said, "Yeah, but wait 'til you see Karlin!"

We found our seats and rejoiced with those around us until the processional music started. The flower girl was precious. She threw out the petals then picked them up, threw out some more then bent down to arrange them on the floor all the while talking. Delightful!

When we lived in La Mesa, NM we played Forty-two on friday nights with other couples. (It's a domino game.) I was partners with Fleming Rigney, (the patriarch of the area) on the first night and we won! He said, "Who could play without a partner!" I was thrilled since I was a novice to the game. I soon discovered that he said that every time no matter who his partner was.

It's that way in life no matter what you're doing: packing around a piano, being taken to the emergency room or playing a game - who could play without a partner?