My wedding tale

Last year Jose and myself sat on a bench in the park in Madrid.  

The morning sky was clear. It was a very cold day. I buried myself from my eyes to toes under my thick coat and only showed my hand to feed the sparrows with some breadcrumbs. Jose wore a heavy thick old jacket and was reading a book about sailing.

“Echo, what have you planned for next year?” He asked me.

“Nothing special, I want to go to Africa after Easter.”

“Morocco? Haven’t you been there before?” He asked me again.

“It was Algeria I have been, but where I really want to go is the desert in Sahara next year.”

Jose had a good quality about him, anything I did that people would think was mental, for him it was natural and all right. It was delightful to stay in his company.

“How about you?” I asked.

“I want to go sailing in summer time, it’s not easy after studying and mandatory military service are finally over.” He lifted up his hands and put them behind neck. 

“How about the boat?” I knew he wanted to have a little boat for a long time.

“Hudson’s father has a yacht we can borrow, we can go diving in the Aegean Sea, Greece next year.”

I believed in Jose, He always did what he said. 

“How long will you stay in the Sahara? What are you going to do there?” 

“On the whole, at least stay a year or half. I want to get to know desert. This has been the wish in my heart since I studied geography in my childhood.”

“There will be six of us going sailing, that’s including you, will you be back on time in August?”

I pulled out my coat down from covering my nose and looked at him in excitement.

“I don’t know much about boats, what job will you be asking me to do on the boat?” I sounded pretty happy.

“You will be in charge of cooking and taking photos, beside that I will give my money for you to manage for me, will you do it?”

“Of course, I do want to join you but I may still be in the desert and can’t come back in time in August, what can I do?” 

It’s like fish and bear paws, I really want them both. 

Jose was not happy about it, and replied it loudly: “Having known you for a long time, you are always going to somewhere, it was not easy waiting to finish my military service and now you want to travel alone, when can we be together?”

Jose usually rarely complained. I eyed him oddly, at the same time threw the bread crumbs hard further away on the ground, the sparrows had scarily flown away because of Joes’s loud voice.

“Are you really sure you want to go to the desert?” He asked me one more time.

I heavily nodded my head once. I knew clearly myself what I wanted to do.

“Good.” he said in a huff, then went back to his reading.

Jose was often very chatty and even annoyingly so sometimes, but if there was something the matter, he wouldn’t say a word at all.

Never the less in February that year, Jose quietly and successfully applied for a job in the Sahara desert. He rolled up his belongings and went to Africa, even before I went.

I wrote to him: ‘You don’t need to be in the desert and make yourself suffer because of me, even if I was there, half the time I would be travelling around places and not able to see you often.’

Jose wrote back to me: ‘I have been thinking about it and the way seems very clear to me. To be able to let yourself stay with me, the only way is marry you; if not, my heart will never get over this sort of the pain, we will get married this summer, all right?’

It was a very down to earth letter but I read it over ten times, then I put it in my pocket and wandered around the streets of the town for a whole night.

When I came back I had decided. 

In April that year, I packed up all my stuff, checked out of my room in Madrid and went to the Spanish Sahara too. When I arrived, Jose was living in the staff dormitory and I lived in a small town called  ‘Laayoune‘, there were about hundred miles between the two places but Jose came to see me every day.

“Good, we can marry now.” He looked very happy his smile glowing with excitement.

“We can’t, not now, give me three months, I want to take time to visit places around here, wait for me to come back then we will marry.” At the time I was taking chances by searching for the real Sahara inhabitants ‘The Berber’ (meaning Sahara resident) which lead me across over the desert to the West of Africa.

“I will agree with you on that but must go to court and ask how to go through formalities and customs, plus you need to apply for naturalisation.”

We agreed I would have two nationalities after I was married.

We went to the local court and asked how to get married there. The secretary was a Spanish man, with a full head of grey hair, he said: “You want to get married? Sigh..we have never done it here, you know here in the Sahara they have their own custom of marriage. Let me look up the law in the legal book.…..”

He talked while reading the book: “Civil marriage, Eh, it’s here…..”

“This is the one, you need Birth certificates, Single Status certificate, Foreign resident’s certificate, Court announcement certificate…..this lady’s documents need to be sent by Taiwan then transferred to Ministerio de Asuntos Exterioes, after that they need to be sent back here for examination, after the local examination, we have to announce it fifteen days beforehand and then send it to the registered permanent residence in Madrid for another announcement…...................”

In my life, I really disliked filling in forms and making applications; at first, I got annoyed when I heard the secretary reading the long list of procedures I whispered to Jose lightly: “You see, so much trouble for the applications, it’s annoying, do we still want to get married?”

“I want to. You are not going to say anything!”, he was very nervous, then he asked the secretary: ‘Roughly, how long does it take us to get married ?’

“Uh, that’s dependent on you, when the documents are ready, it takes a month for the announcement in two places, and after the documents are sent forward and backward…....I think it take at least three months.” The secretary slowly closed the book.

When Jose heard that he looked petrified, he rushed over sweating and jabbering to ask the secretary: “Please help us, can you speed up the procedure? I want to get married as soon as possible, we can’t wait…”

The secretary put the book back on the shelf and quickly throw a glance at my waist. I was sensitive, immediately knew he had misunderstood what Jose asked, I hurriedly said: “Mr secretary, it does not matter to me either way, you do quickly or slowly, it’s him who has the problem.” After I finished the sentence I knew what I had just said was inappropriate and quickly shut my mouth.

Jose twisted my finger and spoke to Mr secretary at the same time: “Thanks, thanks. We are going to sort it out, farewell, bye!” After he finished speaking, he grabbed me and we ran from the third floor at the court like a rocket. 

I couldn’t stop laughing whilst running at the same time, we stopped when we were outside of the court.

“What ? I have problem? What were you talking about? Am I pregnant!?” Jose spoke loudly in anger but I was laughing too much and unable to answer.

Two and then three months easily passed. Jose worked very hard to earn a living during this period of time, he also started making furniture, he moved his belongings to our own place bit by bit everyday. I took my camera and rucksack and wondered around to many nomadic tents, I had seen much different, splendid and extraordinary culture, made notes, tidied up my slides, made friends with many Sahara people, even leant some of the Arabic language. The days were rewarding and enjoyable.

Of course, we were also working hard to obtain the loads of loads documents the marriage required. These were the things that most annoyed us, even now it makes me feel feverish when the memory flashes back.

The weather’s was getting hot. We rented a post office box at the local post office because where we lived we didn’t have any number on the door. Every day, it took me an hour to go to the post office to get my mail. Having been here for three months, I knew half of the people in this little town, especially the people at the post office and the court, I went there everyday, we soon became friends.

The other day, I sat in the court again, the burning hot heat of the day made it unbearable. Mr secretary said to me: “Good, the announcement for Madrid is finally done, you can get married.”

“Really?” I could not believe my ears that the document war was finally over. 

“I have arranged you a good day for it.” The secretary said smilingly.

“What day is it?” I hurried to ask.

“Tomorrow evening at six o clock.”

“Tomorrow? You said tomorrow?” I sounded unappreciative and not happy.

Mr secretary seemed a little angry to me that I didn’t appear thankful and joyful.

He said: “Jose said he wanted it done as quickly as possible didn’t he?”

“Yes, that’s right, thank you, we will come here tomorrow.” I dreamily walked down to the ground floor, sat on the post office’s stone stairs and stared blankly at the sky above the  desert.

I saw a driver from Jose’s company going passed, I ran quickly to catch him: “Mohammad, are you driving back to the company? Please take a message to Jose, tell him he will marry me tomorrow, ask him come to the town.”

 Mohammad scratched his head, asked me strangely: “Doesn’t Jose know himself he is getting married tomorrow?”

I replied loudly: “He doesn’t know, I don’t know it either.” The driver heard that and looked at me appearing scared and went back to his driving looking worried. I knew then that I spoken it wrongly again, he must thought I was mad because I have been waiting to marry too long.

Jose did not wait to finish work, He’s came flying back home.

“Really tomorrow?” He asked me at the same time as coming through the door. He could not believe it either.

“It’s true, go, let’s send a telegraph home.” I pulled his hand and we went out of the door again.

‘Sorry, it’s short notice to you but we didn’t know it beforehand, we are getting married tomorrow, please forgive….’ Jose sent a telegraph as long as a letter.

As for me, I used father’s registered letter and wrote: ‘Getting married tomorrow, Echo.’ It was only a few words but I knew how happy and comforted my parents would be when they received the telegram; for many years I was the prodigal daughter that caused them such pain. I felt sorry for them very much.

“Hey, what will you wear tomorrow?” Jose asked me.

“I don’t know yet, something casual.” I was still thinking.

“I forgot to take the day off, I still need to go to work tomorrow.” Jose sounding a little annoyed.

“You go, we are getting married at six o clock in the evening, you only need to get off from work an hour earlier.” I guessed people can get married and still go to work on the same day.

“What are we going to do now? Telegrams are already sent.” He felt not quite himself that day. 

“Go back to make some furniture, the chair has not been nailed well yet, my curtains are not even half finished.” I could not figure it out why Jose seemed a bit out of sorts.

“Do I really need to go to work the day before we get married?” It looked like he wanted to celebrate earlier and be lazy!

“What do you want to do?” I asked him.

“I want to take you to see a movie, you won’t be my girlfriend anymore after tomorrow.”

We went to the only cinema in town and saw a good movie called ‘Zrba the Greek’, it was the way we both said goodbye to our single lives.

The next afternoon when Jose knocked on the door I was still sleeping, because I had made myself so tired by fetching a large can of freshwater. It was half past five. He came in and shouted out loud: ‘Quick! Come down, I have something for you.’ He sounded very excited and had a big box in his hand.

I rushed over in my bear feet to grab the box and shouted back: ‘It must be flowers!’

“How can you magically find flowers! Really!?” He looked truly disappointed at my guess.

I opened the box, tearing the wrapping paper everywhere. Oop..Wow! There were two skeleton eyes looking out, I pulled out this surprising present and looked again. It was a camel skull, the pale white skeleton was perfectly joined together and had a large long tooth. It was smiling at me, there were two big holes in the skull where eyes would have been.

I was so excited, this present struck me in my heart. I put it on the shelf, my thoughts full of praise and said: “Aw, how splendid it’s a real luxury gift.”

Jose was my soul mate indeed.

“Where did you find it?” I asked him.

“I went looking for it! I wondered around and almost died in the desert, finally found a perfect one. I knew you would like it.” He got carried away. This was actually the most ideal wedding present for me.

“Go quick to get changed, its rather getting late.” Jose looked at his watch and urged me.

I had many nice dresses, but hardly wore any of them here. I went out to look at what Jose was wearing, he wore a deep blue shirt and his big beard had been tided up. Great, I would wear blue too. I found a long light blue cotton dress, it’s not a new one but it had a feel of simplicity and elegant character. Shoes were a pair of sandals, I let my hair down and wore a straw broad-brimmed hat. I didn’t have flowers so went to the kitchen and picked up a bundle of herbs and put them on my hat. I didn’t have a handbag either, my hands were bare.

Joes looked at me and said: “Very good, country style, it rather good to keep things simple.” We locked the door and walked out to the desert.

It was almost forty minutes walk from our place to the town, we didn’t have a car so we had to walk it, the yellow sand slowly flowing between our feet. The sky was vast and had no end, there was only our two little tiny shadows walking under it, everywhere was so quiet. Desert, at this time really is tremendously beautiful.

“You may well be the first walking bride on earth.” Jose said. 

“It’s pity, I rather wanted to be riding on a camel, whistling and running to the town, how magnificent is that!” I signed.

We had not yet reached the court, but we heard people saying: “They have come, they have come.” A stranger jumped up to take a photo of us. That made me jump and scared me too.

Jose asked: “Did you ask people to come and take photos?”

“I didn’t, they properly come from the court.” He suddenly felt nervous too.

We went up to the first floor and looked, all the people in the court were wearing suits and ties. When compared with us, we rather looked like people who had just come to join the crowd for fun.

“It’s over, Jose, they make it too formal, its crazy!” I was very much against anything too formal and affected indifference towards ceremony in my life but I could not escape this one.

“Be patient, it will be over soon.” Jose comforted me.

Mr secretary even wore a black formal suit with a silk ribbon on it. “Come, come, this way.” He actually didn’t give me time to get rid of the sweat that was running down my face and pulled me in to the chapel. I looked again, the little chapel full of the people we knew. Everyone had smiles on their faces looking at Jose and me. Oh my god, how did they know any of this?

The judge was very young, similar ages with us and he wore a black silk ecclesiastical robe.

“Sit here, be seated please.” We were like a couple of puppets to be played by others. Jose’s sweat was travelling to his beard.

We sat down, Mr secretary started to pronounce: “Under the Spanish law, your have to observe three rules after your marriage, let me state them firstly: You must live together after the marriage….”

Hearing this, I was instantly thought what nonsense this was, it’s probably the biggest joke I had ever heard in my life. I started chuckling to myself, feeling bored, I completely missed what his others pronouncements were about after all. Suddenly I heard the judge say my name….

“Miss Echo Chan”, I quickly answered him: “What?” All the people who attend the wedding ceremony were laughing. 

“Please stand up.” I was stood up slowly.

“Mr Jose Maria Quero Y Ruiz, please stand up too.” Such a nagging, why didn’t he just say ‘Please both of  you stand up’. It saved time suffering.

I suddenly noticed the young judge, his hand was shaking while holding the piece of paper. I touched Jose’s elbow lightly and indicated that he look at the judge. This was probably the judge’s first time to witness a wedding ceremony in the court in the desert, he was certainly more nervous than us.

“Echo Chan, will you be Jose’s wife?” The judge asked me. I knew my answer should be yes but somehow I answered him “Great!”.

The judge smiled and asked Jose the same question, Jose loudly replied: “Yes!” We both had answered his question, the judge didn’t seem to know what to say next. The three of us were standing up silently.

At last, the judge broke the silence: “Good, you are now married, congratulations! Congratulations!”

When I heard the formal ceremony had finally ended I felt a lightness in my heart and used my hat to fan myself. A lot of people came up to shake our hands. Mr secretary was especially pleased, he acted like our guardian. 

Suddenly somebody asked: “Eh, where are your rings?” I thought that’s right, where are our rings? I turned back to find Jose and he was already in the hallway.

I shouted to stop him: “Hey! Have you brought the rings?”

Jose happily shouted back: “Here!” and put one on his finger while chasing and shouting to the judge: “Judge, I want my household registration transcript!” He had completely forgotten he needed to put a ring on me too.

After the wedding ceremony finished, we did not have a budget to entertain guests for a dinner party and neither did have a decent restaurant in the desert. By then all the people had gone and only two of us were left there and had nothing in mind of what to do with the rest of the day.

“Should we stay a night at the Parador hotel?” Jose asked me.

“I’d rather go home and make dinner, a stay in that kind of hotel can buy us dinners for an entire week.” I did not encourage blowing money like that.

After that we walked back home through the desert.

When we arrived home, we discovered there was a big box with a cake in it outside our locked door. We opened the door and went in and as we took the cake out of the box, a note dropped down ~Happy Wedding~.

It was a collective present from Jose’s work colleagues, we were very moved by that. It was such a delight to have fresh cream cake in the desert; on top of that, the cake had a pair of wedding dress dolls on it and the bride doll wore a white dress and she could even can blink her eyes up and down.

I childishly took the bride’s doll off and shouted out: “The dolls are mine!”

Jose said: “They are meant to be yours! Do you think I would grab them from you?”

After that he cut the cake in pieces and at the same time finally put a wedding ring on me.

This was the point I considered our wedding finished and this is tale of my wedding.