Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: MARRIAGE (08/25/16)
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TITLE: Misfit | Previous Challenge Entry
By Gary Ritter
08/29/16 -
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When the big day came, I might have been prouder than the bride’s father. It was all I could do to lead them through the vows. I think I cried more than their parents. Such a day; such memories.
They sent me a card during their honeymoon. I beamed with pleasure at the wonderful time they no doubt were having as they began their lifelong journey together. What a terrific couple.
Over the next month I expected a call from them once they returned so we could get together and continue with a deeper dive into Scripture. They’d enjoyed exploring the Word during their initial counseling and it seemed natural to me we’d resume that. Oddly no call came. I was busy during that period and several more months slipped by with no word from them. Finally, I found the time and dialed Bill’s cell number. No longer working. Okay, that happens. People change numbers and forget to notify others.
I dialed Ashley. Same deal. Frustrated, I thought for several minutes and decided to try her parents. Voice mail answered and I left a message for them to call me. Three days later with no return call, I drove to her parent’s house nearby. Her mother came to the door when I knocked. Looking distraught, Mrs. Fletcher took one glance at me and quickly shut it. My pounding brought her back with one word before she turned away a second time. “Separated.”
Dumbfounded, I thought, “That’ll never do.”
It took me a week, but through a series of contacts I tracked down Bill at his job. His bleak expression turned to a sneer. “What do you want?”
“To know why you’re not together!”
“Not a good fit. We’re getting divorced.”
I tried to reason with him and finally found where Ashley worked. Her response was much the same. “Never should have gotten together. Big mistake.”
They wouldn’t talk with me, and I had no recourse. It wasn’t long before I heard their divorce was finalized. The more I reflected on it the angrier I got. It wasn’t right. How could two people obviously made for each other by a loving God get so disenchanted that they’d divorce within a year?
All the time I’d spent with them began to stick in my craw. More than that, I’d given them a considerable sum of money to help them on their way. What a waste. Of course, it wasn’t really about the money, but I decided they needed to be taught a lesson. I found a good attorney and sued them.
He was somewhat puzzled at first but more than happy to take my retainer. He counseled me that I didn’t have a prayer of recovering anything, but that wasn’t the point. Truth be told, I wanted retribution. How dare these two people scam me and all their guests with a sham marriage? None of us deserved this.
Naturally my lawsuit went nowhere, but I got the idea that since I married them, then I should unmarry them. I bombarded them for weeks with calls at work and letters demanding the right to conduct this breaking of their ties.
One day Bill showed up at my office. He confronted me, perplexity written on his face. “What did you expect, Pastor? You know Ashley used to be Jeffrey, and I was Madelyn at one time. We’re both transgender. We’re so screwed up. We learned that on our honeymoon. How could you possibly think our marriage would work?”
I blustered that it simply had to. “Everyone is doing it. Why wouldn’t your marriage succeed?”
Bill/Madelyn shook his/her head. “Pastor, you’ve got a lot to learn.”
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