The Wedding Mafia

Doc, over at All I'm Saying Is..., is having a birthday. So if you havn't been there to congratulate him on his first male progeny, do so when you go say "happy birthday".

In his honor, and in honor of his son, I'm going to tell another tale.

I've already ratted him out once before, so I don't think I can hurt him much with this one.

As I have previously noted, I did a reading at his wedding. So... Before the wedding we had an impromptu bachelor party. Very small, very quiet. Before I get into the tale I need to add some description here. Doc is a big boy. Somewhat over 6'5" and weighing in over 250 he would be really intimidating if it weren't for the normally friendly look on his face. This particular night he was dressed up in a shirt & tie. His friend Havoc is built nothing so much as square. about my height black hair and goatee, broad shouldered and dressed all in black down to his boots. You've seen me when I was a little younger and in better shape, blue eyes, goatee and I was wearing a collarless shirt and a vest. I believe there was one more guy there also in a tie... A lesser character to this particular tale.

Over the years we, as friends, have given each other zippo lighters as gifts. Doc's has a medical symbol and "Doc" engraved on it. Havoc's is black, emblazoned with a skull and crossbones and "Havoc". Mine is a little more simple, a small vertical "K9".

We were out at one of those places where you bring your own beer, and then the wait staff bring it back to you. We picked a little table off to one side, broke out the cigars, popped open a couple of beers and sat back to relax. We must have stood out some, a table of young, well dressed men quietly drinking beer and smoking good cigars and of course it being Doc's night we were all defering to him somewhat.

Havoc was talking to one of the girls working the floor when she noticed the lighters. She looked at his then Doc's. She got kind of a strange look on her face when she picked up mine. "K9? What does that mean?" I always have to have a short remark on hand, and what I said was completely innocent... I thought. I replied, "I'm just a guard dog, honey."

After she left the table a strange thing happened. Our service got better... actually amazing. We couldn't finish a beer without a new one being handed to us. The girls seemed to be paying closer attention to us. It was just odd.

Eventually, as we were leaving the DJ, the bouncer AND the manager came over, shook our hands, thanked us for coming and invited us back any time. Now that was REALLY odd, especially in a place like that.

When we got out to the lot Havoc explained the situation. Looking like we did, quiet corner, big cigars, we stood out. My comment put it over the top.

They thought we were made men. They thought we were Mafiosos. We were The Wedding Mafia.

Happy Birthday Doc. And many, many more.