introduced himself and said a few words, it dawned on Penny that they were halfway through the ceremony. They exchanged gold rings they had purchased at the White Front department store in Torrance for nineteen dollars apiece.
As soon as they said “I do,” a photographer breezed into the room and took a couple of pictures of them in front of the altar. The staff was the epitome of efficiency, but Penny didn’t care. The alternative would have been for her alcoholic father to walk her down the aisle in front of her friends and relatives while she pretended to be happy about the situation.
When they went back into the reception area, they were presented with goodies: Blue Cheer, Bufferin, Micron mouthwash, spray-on starch, five-day deodorant pads, and a bottle of Joy. And a temporary marriage certificate.
After a member of the staff took pictures of them in front of the chapel, Penny said, “I’m famished. We need to get something to eat. And to send telegrams. I’ll bet your aunt and uncle are wondering what’s happening to you right about now.”
“I’m sure they’ll be glad to know that I’m not in jail for ax murders,” Gary said. “Let’s go to the Cal-Neva Club. I saw it on my ride to the police station.”
***
Alfred didn’t dare enter the wedding chapel again. He had lost his credibility with the receptionist and was positive she would call the police if he showed his face. Even though he’d changed his appearance, she would recognize him by his damned potbelly.
His visions of rescuing Penny and carrying her off had to be abandoned. He had done his best to prevent the wedding from taking place. In part he blamed Penny, herself. She should have heeded Gary’s run-in with the police as a warning and washed her hands of him. When they climbed back into the VW together at the police station, he knew she was going through with it. Well, she was young and naive. Gary had her buffaloed. It was Alfred’s job to protect her from him. And he would.
He watched from his car as they came out of the chapel to have their pictures taken in front. They were married. They looked radiant. Alfred’s stomach churned. Then they went back inside. When they reappeared, they were in their old clothes. He prepared to follow them.
They drove only a few blocks, to the Cal-Neva Club. That wasn’t unexpected, since they hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast. It would also give Alfred a chance to grab a hamburger. He had been subsisting on chips and peanuts.
***
Gary took a bite of his sandwich. “Nobody knows where we are. So how could somebody show up and try to stop us from getting married? That’s what this guy was doing, right? Why else would he falsely accuse me of murder?”
“Maybe it was a mistake,” Penny said. “Maybe…the woman at the chapel thought he was talking about you, but he was really talking about someone else.”
He watched her sip her iced tea through a straw and hoped she was right, but that didn’t seem logical, either.
“He gave my name—our names. Remember, she told us he came in the first time while we were changing our clothes and asked for us by name. She wouldn’t have told the police he was talking about me if she weren’t sure. The whole thing doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know anybody who cares whether I get married or not. Certainly not enough to come all the way to Reno to try to stop it with a cock and bull story.”
Penny put her hand on top of his. “In any case, he didn’t succeed. So let’s not let it spoil our honeymoon.”
“The only people who even had a clue to where we were going are Steve and Tom.”
His roommate, Steve, hadn’t been at the apartment the night before they left, although Gary thought he had mentioned to him previously that they were going to Reno first. They had eaten dinner with his brother, Tom, a few days before they left. Tom had been horrified that they were going camping without a tent and had bought the pup tent for
As soon as they said “I do,” a photographer breezed into the room and took a couple of pictures of them in front of the altar. The staff was the epitome of efficiency, but Penny didn’t care. The alternative would have been for her alcoholic father to walk her down the aisle in front of her friends and relatives while she pretended to be happy about the situation.
When they went back into the reception area, they were presented with goodies: Blue Cheer, Bufferin, Micron mouthwash, spray-on starch, five-day deodorant pads, and a bottle of Joy. And a temporary marriage certificate.
After a member of the staff took pictures of them in front of the chapel, Penny said, “I’m famished. We need to get something to eat. And to send telegrams. I’ll bet your aunt and uncle are wondering what’s happening to you right about now.”
“I’m sure they’ll be glad to know that I’m not in jail for ax murders,” Gary said. “Let’s go to the Cal-Neva Club. I saw it on my ride to the police station.”
***
Alfred didn’t dare enter the wedding chapel again. He had lost his credibility with the receptionist and was positive she would call the police if he showed his face. Even though he’d changed his appearance, she would recognize him by his damned potbelly.
His visions of rescuing Penny and carrying her off had to be abandoned. He had done his best to prevent the wedding from taking place. In part he blamed Penny, herself. She should have heeded Gary’s run-in with the police as a warning and washed her hands of him. When they climbed back into the VW together at the police station, he knew she was going through with it. Well, she was young and naive. Gary had her buffaloed. It was Alfred’s job to protect her from him. And he would.
He watched from his car as they came out of the chapel to have their pictures taken in front. They were married. They looked radiant. Alfred’s stomach churned. Then they went back inside. When they reappeared, they were in their old clothes. He prepared to follow them.
They drove only a few blocks, to the Cal-Neva Club. That wasn’t unexpected, since they hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast. It would also give Alfred a chance to grab a hamburger. He had been subsisting on chips and peanuts.
***
Gary took a bite of his sandwich. “Nobody knows where we are. So how could somebody show up and try to stop us from getting married? That’s what this guy was doing, right? Why else would he falsely accuse me of murder?”
“Maybe it was a mistake,” Penny said. “Maybe…the woman at the chapel thought he was talking about you, but he was really talking about someone else.”
He watched her sip her iced tea through a straw and hoped she was right, but that didn’t seem logical, either.
“He gave my name—our names. Remember, she told us he came in the first time while we were changing our clothes and asked for us by name. She wouldn’t have told the police he was talking about me if she weren’t sure. The whole thing doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know anybody who cares whether I get married or not. Certainly not enough to come all the way to Reno to try to stop it with a cock and bull story.”
Penny put her hand on top of his. “In any case, he didn’t succeed. So let’s not let it spoil our honeymoon.”
“The only people who even had a clue to where we were going are Steve and Tom.”
His roommate, Steve, hadn’t been at the apartment the night before they left, although Gary thought he had mentioned to him previously that they were going to Reno first. They had eaten dinner with his brother, Tom, a few days before they left. Tom had been horrified that they were going camping without a tent and had bought the pup tent for
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