Thursday, June 14, 2007

John the Baptist


With my 30th wedding anniversary coming up soon, I have been toying with the idea of posting some stories surrounding our infamous wedding. Imagine my surprise yesterday when I bought a "Cowboys and Indians" magazine with a reminder of my wedding. From time to time I buy C&I when something on the cover strikes me as interesting. This months magazine has a big article on John Wayne - my hero. Anyway, while flipping through the pages of C&I, I came across and article/ad on ballooning. There on page 153 was a picture and write-up on Johnny Lewis and his balloon company, Santa Fe Balloons. So what does this have to do with my wedding 30 years ago? Well, John Lewis, aka John the Baptist, married Toby and me at the Community House in Red River, NM. John had come to RR some years earlier as a motel owner, later a jeep driver, and eventually a balloonist. John was probably the best jeep driver ever because of his friendliness and great stories or BS. John was also an ordained Baptist preacher - hence the nickname. When we asked him to do our wedding ceremony, he said yes. He said he would say, "Do ya, do ya? And we would say Yeah, yeah. Then we would go to the party." He did not have a suit and tie for the wedding - who did in RR back in those days? A friend of my father's gave John some money to rent a tux for our wedding although it was not formal at all. John showed up in a top-hat and tails. He was a big hit. He did a great job going over our vows with us. It was quick and to the point. I did giggle when Toby promised , "all my worrlie goods" rather than "worldly goods."


The reception was a huge party at the Motherlode. I will tell more about that in another post, but here is a picture of my dad with John the Baptist, and a picture of the basic wedding party My cousin, Patti, was my maid of honor. My brother, Craig, was Toby's best man. It was my perfect wedding.

6 comments:

Buck said...

A great looking wedding party!

As for John's white tuxedo...they were all the rage, now, weren't they? (THAT cryptic comment will be explained a few days hence...) ;-)

Bag Blog said...

Yes, white suits were in back then. My dad held out for a long time, but finally bought that suit. One of our groomsmen (not pictured) wrote to his mother asking for her to send his suit to RR for our wedding. She sent a WHITE suit instead of his corduroy suit like Toby's. He was hacked, but still wore the white suit.

Buck said...

Yes, white suits were in back then.

I blame Travolta. NOTHING good ever came from a white suit. It's his fault.

Anonymous said...

Sister, congratulations to you and Toby on 30 great years! Although I can take no credit, it's still one of my favorite memories that yall met at Tech after Toby and I became friends through our mutual friend Brad Seymour, who also introduced me to our great friend in Cimaron, Rod Taylor. Toby, Brad, and Rod, having all gone to Monterey High School in Lubbock -- where they also knew John T. Davis, a music writer (Austin City Limits History, etc.) who was especially good friends with Rod. That same era at Monterey also included Monty Holmes, I think, who wrote several top 10 country hits after moving to Nashville. And I think Andy Wilkinson, a good friend of Rod's, was also at Monterey around then. Andy is the Artist in Residence and a historian/curator at Tech's Southwest Collection archive, and he is a great nephew of Charlie Goodnight. As Lubbock musician Terry Allen (New Dehli Freight Train) would say "Lubbock on Everything"! And a bunch of it from Monterey H.S.

Well, I digress, as ususal, but while I'm at it: white suits -- I was behind the curve but got there about 5 years later when I got married in one in the same town.

To come back to the point on this auspicious date, as I've said before, you and Toby are one of the greatest couples and have one of the best marriages I've ever known. You're a such a blessing to us all. As Dad would say, Way to go!

Craig

The Friendly Neighborhood Piper said...

i think my brother had a suit EXACTLY like the one Toby is wearing. Same color, same shirt, even the same tie! Its been a weekend of reminiscence for us all i suppose. There are some things i hesitate to say on here, and perhaps the word Uncle Buck used is appropriate and this could be rather cryptic to most. I'm growing in the realization that there are a few relationships in this life that are more important than blood. I think anyone who knows you two are thankful for your marriage.

Bag Blog said...

Thanks for the kind words, Bro. Thanks for getting me that first date with Toby (with a little push from Brad Seymour) Your wedding (five years later) was quite a party itself - white suit and all. Let's do it again sometime!

Lots of good things came out of West Texas - Jay Boy Adams, Super Natural Family Band, Joe Ely, all the muscians you named, and of course, my own Toby. I think it was the cowboy boots that drew me in or maybe his yellow flyin' saucer.