Living In Sin For Thirty-Seven Years!!!

Okay, so we were babies. That means that there are still many people living who were present at the ceremony on October 14, 1967. If you are one of these, or anyone else having any knowledge whatsoever of this event, will you please register your assent as a comment. A mere, "Yes" will suffice. Some of you will remember the festivities quite well.

The bride was slim in an off-white slubbed linen gown of medieval simplicity. When she spoke, it was with the voice of a maid. The groom was handsomely boyish, exuberant and tall in formal morning dress. He carried himself with the charm and grace of Robin Hood, which may also account for the fact that he nearly arrived at the church sans shoes. The officiant, a serio-comic figure of Friar Tuck proportions and baldness, was suffering from a bilious attack. In severe pain, sweating profusely, but otherwise masking his discomfort for the sake of his young friends, he presided over the service with dignity. There was a distinct odour of sanctity about the vows. There were times in ensuing years, that the couple wished the Friar had omitted his prayer asking God not to spare them suffering so that they might be compassionate. But the marriage 'took.'

Several lifetimes passed. The groom, applying for a pension, is told to produce a marriage certificate in order to assign beneficiary rights to the bride of his youth. Fourteen moves, two children, two dogs, two cats, two hamsters, a thousand clean-outs, a flood, a fire and the marriage certificate is no where to be found. A quest is initiated.

The church in Windsor, Ontario has been amalgamated. No records exist for 1967. Church archives in Toronto have no records of any marriage solemnized in that church from the years 1960 - 1972. And the pension will be witheld unless Robin Hood can establish the legality of his marriage. He is told to say he has been LIVING COMMON LAW FOR THIRTY-SIX YEARS and furthermore to PERJURE himself in front of a Justice of the Peace in this respect! Anyone knowing Rob will know how impossible this will be for him. He himself has conducted dozens of weddings over the years. What would this do to his credibility? Furthermore, he is told that he cannot SWEAR to the validity of his marriage in front of a Justice, even though this is the TRUTH.

Many phone calls and letters later, it is allowed that a senior offical of the Church may confirm by letter that the marriage took place. This is graciously done. The pension is granted and the aging honeymooners decide to apply to the government for a copy of their original certificate.

More than a year passes in which the officials in Thunder Bay do not cash the cheque for the copy. Nor do Robin and Marian hear anything at all from the Registry. From time to time, they think of their request, lost somewhere in bureaucracy. A feeling of unease arises. This intensifies when Marian is told that her SIN card cannot be replaced unless she produces a marriage certificate. The government has accepted her income tax for thirty-seven years in her married name. Her post secondary degrees were granted in this name. Her children were registered under this family name. If she is not legitimately married, she wants her taxes back!

Today a letter arrived from the Office of the Registrar General indicating that no record of this marriage exists. What could this mean? They are each free to marry another??? Legally yes. Morally no.

If the wedding described above seems real enough to you and not a mere dream, please indicate this in the comments. Your affirmation might just release Robin Hood and Maid Marian from their present nightmare. Maid Marian, in particular, is suffering a severe identity crisis.