THE WEDDING

I do not know how I ended up there, but the fact is that Jaana, my childhood best friend with whom I spent more or less five years behind one school-desk, was getting married to Meelis in Hiiumaa. I knew that it was on Sunday, I knew that it was at 5 PM, I knew that it was in Kärdla. Nothing else. My phone had been stolen the previous night and I could not call her to find out.

It was to be a civil wedding ceremony so Maria drove me to the local town hall where such ceremonies were known to be held. Later Maria was to return with Priit and Taavi-Henri, after their concert on the beach. I had asked the guys (who by the way were also actors in "The Tree Investigators") to sing and in this way be my present for the couple. In some songs they really sounded like an Estonian version of Simon and Garfunkel.

"Please wait in the car, I'll check if they are there", I said to Maria being already five minutes late.
Somewhere in the distance of an empty corridor I heard voices. There they were - Jaana's grandmother and groom's father, two girls - the guests.
"They are not letting us in yet", said Jaana's grandmother.

I ran out, to let Maria drive away in peace.
When I was entering the house again, the door to the hall opened and the guests were asked to enter. I was just on time!
The ceremony lasted for just about twenty minutes - the speech, two voices saying "yes", the signatures, the rings, the photos...

"We have a boat to catch," said Jaana's grandmother when everyone was already outside. There was no time to wait for Priit and Taavi. I congratulated everyone and asked to give me a ride to the town center.The groom and the bride had only two seats, I was squeezed into the second car making the necessary phone calls while driving.

Everyone was surprised to the wish of the couple to go food-shopping, but I was glad - it gave the band time to arrive. They hid in the bushes and in another perfectly timed moment Jaana and Meelis received their present of a Song.