The Marriage Show

This is our very first installment of a continuing story... Blonde Duck, who is an amazing writer has agreed to post ON SATURDAY's a continuing story or stories... depends on when one is finished and another begins... so EnJoY!!!

"Marriage is completely outdated," an older man in a mothball-studded suit droned, shoving his thick plastic glasses on his nose. "It is an archaic institution, one which will die away within twenty years. The whole purpose of marriage was to gain land or goods through treaties and later, to legitimize children. Now that women can work without the stigma of being a single mother, relationships don't have to be defined by a ring or paper."

"I beg to differ!" a pastor shot back, his red face reflecting off the thick gold cross around his neck. "The Lord intends for a man and woman to unite as one! Families are broken every day by people sprouting your nonsense! A family has a MARRIED mother and father committed to raising their children in the Lord's image."



"I don't think things are as black and white," a family therapist countered, his white teeth shining in the light of the radio studio. "You see, marriage is important for emotional growth. However, love can exist within the bonds of a less-defined relationship. You see, marriage goes in stages"--



"I read a study the other day that said there were no good and bad marriages," the first older man sniffed, peering down through his thick plastic glasses. "There were only short and long marriages. Everyone has the same problems. Marriage is basically successful if the couple remains together until death. Happiness is not part of the equation!"



"Those are the words of the devil!" the pastor hissed, pointing a bony finger at the ancient psychologist. "You sir, have no respect for marriage or family!"



"See, happiness is a complicated issue in marriage," the family therapist tried to explain to the DJ. "It all depends on values and the time of the marriage--it's really quite scientific"--



"You're all wrong."



The DJ, who had been trying to get a word in for thirty minutes, swiveled his head around and gasped. The three guests' jaws dropped to the floor, their eyes wide. Even the technical staff couldn't stop staring.



Striding into the room with a smirk, the blond woman slid headphones over thick wavy waves. Her blue eyes sparkled as she leaned up to the mike, her red lips parting. Every man there noticed the way her red dress hugged her hourglass figure, the way her voice slid over them like silk.



"You're wrong," she spoke into the microphone. "You're all wrong."



The DJ blinked, his tongue frozen in his head. "Who are you?" he stuttered, his fingers still over the rows of keys and blinking lights.



The woman laughed and tossed her hair. "You could call me several things," she drawled. "Venus. Aphrodite. Cupid. Love. It doesn't matter. What matters is you're wrong."



The three men continued to gape at her.



"How are they wrong?" the DJ asked, his voice shaking as she turned her blue eyes to his.



"Well, Mr. Jenkins here," she began, pointing to the man in the mothball eaten suit and plastic glasses, "personally does not believe in love, so he skewers his research to negative findings. Since he never got married, he doesn't believe in it's virtues."



"I do not skew my findings!" Mr. Jenkins sputtered, his cheeks red. "How dare you, vile lady!"



"And Father Frank believes in love and marriage," the woman continued, pointing to the pastor. "But for all the wrong reasons. He worries that he only married his wife to make the church happy."



"I'd love to invite you to a service," the Father began, standing and offering his hand. "I do believe you would learn the truth..."



"I'm sure you would," the woman interrupted with a grin, turning to the third man. "And Mr. Drake, though a wonderful therapist, also has the wrong idea. He thinks love has to be studied, explained, charted. He believes every marriage must move in proper stages and be catalogued for every occasion. He has treated every girlfriend as an experiment, a therapy session."



The third man's eyebrows knit together, but he said nothing.



"So why are you here?" the DJ asked, obviously confused.



"You want what marriage is really about, what it really means," the woman drawled, her red lips curling in a smile. "You want to know if it's important, what it has to do with faith, how it can survive children. Everyone wants that blissful fifty year marriage, the perfect romance. But no one knows how to get it. No one truly believes it exists. You all think marriage is complicated, overrated, a mistake that can be easily erased by divorce papers. Some find it unneccessary, others a burden. Some use it as a answer to happiness and lonliness, others as an escape or to fill a void. But none of you are right. None of what you say is true.



"And I'm here to show you."



To be continued....



Written by the Blond Duck



www.aduckinherpond.com