The Trend's Newest (Favorite?) Friend

He met a girl from Kansas.

And on the poem went. A poem written by Michael James 'Mick' Astrachan about his bride, Sandee. A poem that perfectly set the tone for one of most glorious weddings this humble scribe has ever been witness to.

You know the kind. We see 'em on the T.V. regularly. But it seems like most of real-life ceremonies never quite live up to that fairy-tale standard.

This one did.

And I'm formulating a theory about this divergence that involves mainly the quality of both families involved. Having stated that, and given my history of and relationship to the Astrachan family, let me state categorically that young Astro could not have found a better, more enchanting, more real, more 'easy', more bedrock American family if he'd waited to marry in to his, er, 40's.

I met a girl from Kansas.

Almost makes me teary just scribbling it down even now. Sandee and her family took in this rag-tag bunch of hoodlums from Dixie and believably passed themselves off as still sure of their little girl's decision-making. As one who fervently focuses like a laser beam on finding fault with people, I must say the old boy did good. As we ex-jocks say, in football linguistic, "He out-kicked his coverage." (Have I mentioned Sandee is one hot mess as well?) (See photo.)

* * * *

You know how when you meet a new bunch of people at a bar, say, in, say, New York City, you can't wait to see the level of 'posing', 'preening' that they'll exhibit? You know, the fake fun-making and laughing and back-slapping that's involved in so much of what we call socializing in 21st century America? And when one member of said group tries to, let's just say, "party" at the same, let's say, "level" as you? Doesn't that just chap your chaps? I know it does mine. I'm all like, "Hey Pablo (or Chris, in this case, Sandee's sister's husband), throttle back there, Amigo. And stop calling me your BFF, btw." ...And then he really DOES become your best friend forever? And THEN you consider yourself LUCKY to have met him, and THEN you realize that you love his wife with just as much passion and respect and THEN their kids are all perfect as well. C and I offered 'em $11 each for the pair. No deal. Our loss.

It's enough to make one re-calibrate one's antennae.

One moment stands out in our Astrachan/Buller/Trend union trip: I had a great view of Sandee as she and Mike stood before the altar. When deeply touched with emotion, which was often, and is a great sign (at-a-boy, Mick!), her system would get her immediately to this beautiful laughing mode--something I'm sure she was acutely unaware of, given her mood-of-choice in all other stations. As where some of these periods of gazing-into-each-other's-eyes can become uncomfortable for cynics like me, this was truly and wholly a pleasure to watch.

We met a girl from Kansas.

She took us in and introduced us to her remarkable tribe, and we to her.

Think love is hackneyed? Think it corny?

So did I. But gimme a double-order of corn. I hear the best in Kansas is at Smith's Market in Downtown Hutchinson. Something about "personal service and relaxed charm" (from their website).

I'm a believer.

Brian K. Mitchell, an R.Ph.,

is the owner of Mitchell Pharmacy in Kennett.

He can be contacted via e-mail at bmitchellrph@gmail.com,

or log on to

www.mitchellpharmacy.com.