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Wedding Belle

by dharker 

Posted: 21 April 2011
Word Count: 650


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“Biggest mistake of her life this is”.

The woman didn't seem one for keeping her opinions to herself, and Julie was on the receiving end of the entire wedding collection.

“Really? I think they make a lovely couple” she ventured.

“Ahh well it always starts out like that, but then they change! Take me for example".

I wish someone would, thought Julie perhaps a little uncharitably, but she was getting tired of this complete stranger talking ceaselessly at her. She’d arrived at St. Chad’s much later than she’d intended – the high street had been at a standstill and parking practically non-existent. Now, as a consequence, she sat at the back next to some 'Essex girl' of a character who just wouldn’t shut up.

“My names Connie!” offered the woman, giving her a dig in the ribs.

“What?” replied Julie with a start. She’d actually been miles away, wondering whether she’d put enough money in the meter.

“I'm Connie. I was just saying how my ex was so cute until we got married. Changed in an instant he did – right before my very eyes!”

Connie paused briefly for the sympathy she felt she deserved. When it didn’t come she tried again.

“Couldn’t do enough for me he couldn’t, then all of a sudden he turns into some kind of couch slouch. Wouldn’t have minded so much but he was a right grumpy git too. Well you know what I say don’t you! Some say the glass is half empty and some say it's half full… but I just say ‘Are you going to drink that or what?’”.

Connie shrieked with laughter at her own joke and gave Julie a playful push, drawing attention to herself and by default to Julie, who squirmed with embarrassment and mouthed an apology to the sea of disapproving faces now scowling at them.

“Look at all them stuck up gits with their la-di-da faces. You’d think they’d never had a larf in their lives!”

Connie stuck her tongue out at a matronly figure with a particularly effective disapproving look on her face.

“Anyway I was telling you about my ex. Well we went off last year on holiday to Pontin’s. Gawd that was a do that was - pissed off our faces every night we was, brilliant! Then on the last night I went for a wee and come back to find him with some slag’s hand down his trousers! Bold as brass! Middle of the dance floor and all!”

Connie waited for Julie to interject some semblance of sympathy, and once more she fell decidedly short of the mark.

“What did you do? I hear you ask”, Connie soldiered on, determined to get to the punch line.

“Well I picked up my handbag, went back to the chalet, threw my stuff in a bag and drove home. Left him to pick up the bill and to get home somehow, which he eventually did. And THEN do you know what he did?”, she paused briefly again for effect before continuing.

“He said he was unhappy and that he just wanted some space in our relationship! The cheeky bastard! So I told him he could enjoy the space of the great outdoors and locked him out!”

Connie cackled loudly and uncontrollably for what seemed an age. The tutting sounds and backward glances added immeasurably to Julie’s discomfort. Fortunately just at the point when she wished a hole would open up for her, the Wedding March started to play and the wedding guests rose to their feet. Every eye turned to the door at the back and a sigh spread through the congregation as the gorgeous bride with her attendants began to sashay down the aisle. The flowers, the dress, the bride - the whole scene was utter perfection. Until that is, the somewhat loud and somewhat imperfect exclamation:

“Ere, who the bleedin’ hell is she?”






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Comments by other Members



Forbes at 17:46 on 21 April 2011  Report this post
A lovely scene this one. It came alive - I could smell the carnations! I have a few nits....tell me to sod off - no offence will be taken

Generally I use a full stop at the end of speech, to the left of the " mark as a terminator. If you look at the speech you've put ! or ? at the end, they are terminated neatly. Other speech in this isn't. Do I make sense?

Perhaps Julie's thought need not have speech marks?

And perhaps try to differentiate between speech and other quotes marks - maybe use a single quote for stuff other than speech?

I think by naming Connie in the second para ( and before Julie who I think is MC?) you introduce a question as to who IS the MC in this piece?

Redundant comma after speech somewhere.

But I really like this - wonderful atmosphere.

Avis





Forbes at 17:50 on 21 April 2011  Report this post
I knew there was another...

by default to Julie. Julie squirmed


Too many Julies too close together. Perhaps

I knew there was another

by default to Julie, who squirmed


Avis

<Added>

oophs about the repeated I knew there was another... oh no! Now it's down three times.

(What is?)

(I knew there was another.)

(Another what?)

(Arrrgghhhhh!)

:)

dharker at 18:09 on 21 April 2011  Report this post
LOL! Thanks Avis! Great critique and your points noted and amendments made... Just having a quick think about the MC point and how best to do this! )

No "sod off" required at all - all good valid points!

Dave

fiona_j at 18:22 on 21 April 2011  Report this post
Hello,

I liked this story, very funny. I could imagine the characters very well.

The only thing that got me was:

the sea of disapproving faces now facing them


the two faces so close sound weird. Maybe saying "the sea of disapproving faces now looking at them" instead?

Other than that, well written.

Fi

dharker at 18:53 on 21 April 2011  Report this post
Thanks Fi! Good point... amendment made. I've also left off Connie's introduction until a more suitable point per Avis' suggestion. Does it work OK?

Dave

tusker at 06:43 on 22 April 2011  Report this post
I enjoyed this Dave.

Felt embarrassed for Julie. Loved that last line.

Jenifer

Desormais at 10:01 on 22 April 2011  Report this post
I'll take it that the deadly sin is a mixture of anger and envy Dave.

Loved the voice in this, hated Connie! Re the points made about 'repetition' I've often thought how useful it would be if spellcheck included a detection for words that are repeated close to each other, or too many times in a piece.

Made me laugh and squirm in equal measure. Nice one!
Sandra

Bunbry at 10:27 on 24 April 2011  Report this post
No nits in this Dave, I read this at a gallop which is always a great sign!

Nick

dharker at 10:32 on 24 April 2011  Report this post
Thanks Jennifer, Sandra and Nick! I'm really pleased you enjoyed it... it was a joy to write - one of those that just grows on the page!

Dave


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