Growing up in an Italian family that heralded for several
generations from the “Old Neighborhood”, we heard and knew of many connected people.
A middle school friend’s father had some trouble and spent
close to three decades in the big house for being the finance guy to one of the top dogs in the city. In high school, a
naughty yet very popular family of boys lost their father under suspicious
circumstances when he was discovered in the trunk of the family’s car (They
were subsequently asked to leave my Catholic school).
I’m telling you; I lived in a normal, middle class
environment in the Western Suburbs. My parents had LONG since moved out of the
Old Neighborhood. It was Chicago and just the way things went down at the time...Italian style.
My family also had the opportunity to attend quite a few traditional weddings. You might say
they were a bit sketchy in nature or quite possibly the guest list was. The actual ceremonies
and receptions were very elegant and elaborate affairs. Of course, I was a kid
so I had no idea who was who. Everyone looked just like my relatives.
It was the early 70s. Only grown ups were invited to a
particular wedding of a son to one of the families in the suburb I lived. We
heard it would be quite a lavish affair and my parents graciously accepted an
invitation to attend.
During the wedding Mass, the photographer was poised to snap
the most perfect picture of the bride and groom in front of the beautiful,
ornate alter. He lined up his shot precisely.
He pushed the camera’s shutter, which set off the flashbulb with
a bang like thunder who’s sound
caused the entire church to duck for cover. A moment later, the congregation
peeked over the top edge of their pews to check things out. Everyone began
laughing.
It was that kind of wedding.
1: the sound that follows a flash of lightning and is
caused by sudden expansion of the air in the path of the electrical discharge
2: a loud utterance or threat
3: bang, rumble <the thunder of
big guns>
In 33 to 333 words. Trifecta Writing Challenge
