I'm still on this

I really do want to tell you about getting the marriage license, because it was an experience. It is a strange ceremony to go through, because you have love and anticipation and excitement all taking place in a very bland and dreary government office. There were harsh florescent lights and workers behind Plexiglas and long lines and stern, unbendable rules. But amongst this sterility are couples being in love. There are some in everyday clothes who, like us, were obviously getting the license for an upcoming wedding, while there were others in fancier clothes, with had family milling around, who were heading next door to the chapel to get married right then and there.

The government personnel were all stern like you’d expect, except they’d tell you congratulations and smile at you. After we filled out the application, we got on line to get the actual license. We lucked out and were in front of the best, most entertaining couple that has ever existed. They were both young and foreign, although from different countries. If I had to guess, I’d put her from the Netherlands, and him from somewhere in Central America. They were approximately the same height (shortish) and she had dyed orange/red hair and wore a little plaid mini-skirt and BOY did they like to make out. The were making out against the walls and the barriers and all over the place. The only time they weren’t making out is when they were fighting, which was approximately every five minutes or so.

He would say something in an attempt to be funny and she would stalk off and stand with her arms crossed, not looking at him. Eventually she would wander back and he would coo, “Are you finished with your little games now?” Getting the license required sitting down with someone who would take your application and process it, asking you questions if they needed clarification. She got nervous when she saw this and asked what they were asking people. He said they were testing people, asking them if they really loved each other and if they really wanted to marry each other. This alarmed her: “Why would they ask that? That’s private. Really? It’s none of their business. Humph.” Then they made out. Then she slapped him quite hard several times in a row.

The line was up against these cheap white walls that had tons of graffiti all over it. Obviously it was from people with pens waiting in line and being bored. BUT, here all the bored people also happened to be in love, so the wall is really just filled with little hearts and names and dates. It’s quite something. As you can see from the Scarface + Juice heart down there, this was a wall to behold.

We got our license with little fanfare and then went out for Thai food to celebrate, feeling very almost married.

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