Dogs love to dress up for their masters. Bud goes to the Halloween weenie roast every year as The Great Pumpkin sporting a huge orange globe-like felt expanse over his generous back with a bit of green and brown where the stem of the pumpkin belongs. Bud likes it because it attracts his two favorite kinds of friends: little doggies and little kids. Oh, for Christmas he proudly wears the red and green felt collar with silver bell-like ornaments as he surfs just beneath the snow for a discarded Taco Bell wrapper or the tasty carcass of a "not quick enough" squirrel. And, he's worn sunglasses and a Cubs cap (briefly) but only because its fun and attracts his friends.
That must be why the British ladies wore those retro hats to the Royal Wedding. It reminds of either a day at the pheasant farm or viewing a collection of extra terrestrial saucers on loan from Area 51. Now these ladies were, as they say, haute coutre which in Americanese means "hot stuff", as long as you didn't have to pay the tab. Actually, it was refreshing to realize that style and fashion have not been abandoned for Buckeye T-Shirts and Nikes. But then, our revolutionary forefathers wanted the opposite of what jolly old England had to offer: a king who made all of the decisions and the privilege of rank. And, we got it. We get to argue over everything. It seems we're in a constant state of anger.
When William and Catherine said "I will", and the strains of "Jerusalem" was in full throat in Westminster Abbey, it seemed all of England was united in a single purpose. Now maybe the purpose was "We're going to have one hell of a party for the next 3 days". Yet this was a validation of England culture as a still relevant nation. A nation with a thousand years of kings, queens, knights, sheriffs, poets and bards, beheadings, prime ministers and - yes - princesses.
Now comes a beautiful, modern princess with regal bearing and a smile that could disarm the hardest heart, marrying a search and rescue helicopter pilot whose life's destiny is to become King of England. Feathered and saucer-like hats (like doggie and kids' costumes) bring out the best in their wearers. Here, a dashing lieutenant's superbly cut red Irish Guards' uniform with blue sash and aviator's wings paired perfectly with a composed, slim brunette in a classic white satin gown trimmed in English lace all of which shouted to two billion watchers: "There is hope for all who look for the best in each other." And with that hope in each other comes hope for our time and, maybe, just maybe, for our kids' time.
Bud and I were struck by the wedding sermon. While It urged William and Kate to mutual love and support, and the gathered congregation to support them in marriage, it recognized the reality of life together in a world where others constantly work to divide loyalty and undermine respect. What pressure we put on 29 year-olds these days. "Change the world." William has been a work in progress and now with Kate - the world's newest rock star - perhaps they can. We need it. Especially the kids . . . and their little doggies.
Bud (and friend)
