It was a typical Mexican boda... music that was too loud, drinks that were too strong, and women in dresses that were too tight. The children wailed because it was too late, and they were too tired, and were taken outside for being too rowdy by men who wore belt buckles that were too big.

I hadn't seen Brenda in more than ten years. Too long. Not since she was the chubby, rather unpopular girl wearing glasses with lenses that were too thick. I have always liked her, and because I was a bit of a freak of nature back in high school myself, I knew that we were two kindred. I always talked to her and often stopped by the house that was too rundown to chat with her madre in the sala.

We reconnected after I moved back to our hometown. She hadn't changed too much. She was still a big chubby girl, but some of that inner beauty had finally come through and was more visible in her face. I went in for a physical and she was working behind the counters at my new doctor's office, helpful and almost too sweet, as always. She told me that she was getting married, and that I had to come to the wedding. I gave her my congratulations and said that I would be happy to come. I left the office with my prescription, the appointment card she'd given me after scheduling my follow up, and her phone number which I lost somewhere in the black hole known as my handbag.

She dropped the invitation off at my parent's place and had invited our whole family... very nice of her, so I thought.

The truth is, I liked her... I always have, but I didn't really want to go. I had car trouble today, a batch of sick kittens, I am trying to recover from a trip to participate in two boring meetings that I really didn't need to attend. I was too tired and too grumpy and had no wheels. My parents were going; Mom said that she'd pick me up. It was too late to back out. So I got dressed up and we went.

She looked almost too radiant. The fact that it was her wedding day and she had the glow of a 27 year old virgin may have been part of that.

We ate food that was too spicy and washed it down with soda that was too warm. The music that was too loud and the announcer that was a little too jovial let us know that the traditional dollar dance was about to begin and that checks and food stamps would be accepted.  The sparse applause at the joke was too quiet in a room where the guests were too few.

Brenda's fiancee and I had met once before, too briefly. He's a very quiet, softspoken guy. He was too unfamiliar, so I didn't want to pay a dollar to dance with him. I took my dollar and got in line to dance with Brenda instead.

I pinned my dollar to her veil because I thought it was rude to poke a hole in her white satin. I told her, "I paid, so I get to be the boy!" She thought that was too funny.

We danced and I told her that she was beautiful, that I was too happy for her.

She said, "I'm too fricken' nervous!"

I said, "It's ok! It's the end of the day and you're married already! There can't be much to be too nervous about now!"

She said, "This place is too empty!" She looked at me with tears in her eyes and suddenly I realized... she was too sensitive.

Still the chubby girl with the glasses who was too insecure.

I said, "Look mija... your real friends, your true friends are all here. This is your wedding day! We all love you too much to see you crying!" I hugged her too tight and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She hugged me back and then a man was pinning another dollar to her dress. It was too soon! My turn was too short! I wiped one of her tears away, and she quickly kissed me back and gave me a smile that was almost too big.

I walked back to my folding chair, which was too hard.

The reception was too loud, it was too dark, but after that dance I was only too happy to stay and drink champagne that was too cheap and eat cake that was too dry.

I was glad that I didn't miss the dance of the Vivora... which was too chaotic.