Chris Dean is my brother-in-law’s brother. He left Brechin for the States to become a soccer coach many years ago, and has since settled down there with a wife and four young kids. When I saw him at his brother’s/my sister’s wedding a couple of years back, we hatched a plan that I’d swing past Kansas whenever I did this mid-life crisis road trip.
To be fair to him, I didn’t give him much notice when I actually firmed up an itinerary. But when I said I’d be in town next Saturday, he explained that he wouldn’t be able to “tear it up” with us that night but he was adamant that we’d be more than welcome to join us at a pre-arranged family party…
His own brother-in-law’s wedding.
Shamelessly, we turned up anyway. Two tired, irritable and ill-dressed Scottish strangers, at least a couple of hours late. Predictably, we were welcomed warmly by the whole family, all delighted we were there, all thrusting beer and wine into our hands and all keen to know what the bloody hell we were doing visiting Independence, Missouri on a random Saturday night in July. That was especially true of the young couple, who couldn’t have been more accommodating and hospitable on their own big day. The very best of America.
To Max and Maggie Engquist: wishing you both a long and happy marriage.
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