Unusual Nuptials – The “operation”

The days prior to Thirza’s arrival saw Jerry energetically seeing to the ‘arrangements’ she had requested in her telegram. News of their wedding spread quickly in the small town. People stopped him in the street offering their congratulations. All that added to his relief when Tuesday finally dawned.

He arrived at the small station well before Thirza’s train was due to arrive. Jerry paced up and down the length of the platform, expectantly. “The train must be delayed,” he thought, and went back inside to check once again with the stationmaster.

“Yes, Mr. Nash. It won’t be long now.” said the stationmaster.

With that, they heard three distant, sharp, blasts. “There she is. What did I tell you,” he said to Jerry who was already running back to the platform.

The train came into view, gave one more exhausted blast of it’s horn, and hissed to a halt in front of the waiting Jerry, who now had the biggest grin on his face. He had seen Thirza leaning out of the window waving. By the time he reached her cabin she was out and in his arms, and he in hers.

“It has been a long year since we last saw each other,” she enthused. “It doesn’t matter now. I have hold of your hand; we need never be apart again, be away from each other, but will be together always, and beyond always.”

“I thought the train was never coming in,” said Jerry adding, “I’ve got everything fixed,” he said to Thirza on the way to the car. “First we will have an early lunch at the hotel and then to the lawyer.”

“Lawyer? she questioned.

“We have to sign our marriage contract, and then go to the court for the operation,” said Jerry laughing.

“Jerry, what do you mean – an operation…?”

“Oh, its just to place rings on our fingers,” he said as he packed the last of her luggage into the car.

Thirza smiled. Jerry was good for her. In his company she found herself letting go of her serious nature, the result of a hard life, firstly with her parent’s constant moves, and later helping her mother in the concentration camps of the Boer war.

They weren’t many guests in the dining room. They talked happily.

“Tell me about the ‘home’ we are going to.”

Jerry answered, “It’s just like the place we talked about…a camp on the banks of the Orange River, in the brushwood. I do hope you will like it.”

“Won’t I just,” Thirza said.

“I think I have everything we need to start with; utensils, camping furniture and stores. The frills I will leave up to you. We will need a curtain in the cottage tent for one thing. After the ‘operation’ we will get whatever else we might need.”

They left and continued to the lawyer. He was a nervous young fellow, and maybe thought they were too, and so was sympathetic. He fluttered amongst his papers speaking solemnly, lending an air of gravity to the proceedings. He found their contract and proceeded to read it to them.

Thirza absent-mindedly thought of her sisters and Victoria in particular, but when the lawyer came to the part where he referred to Jerry as her ‘spouse’ – she giggled. Her gentle tap to Jerry’s leg evoked a twinkle in his eyes, and when Mr. Attorney referred to her as a ‘spouse’ – she laughed They both signed the contract promising not to pay one another’s debts.

“I’m coming to the court to see that the knot is properly tied,” said Mr. Attorney, and showed them to the door.

The next stop was the jeweler’s. Jerry bought the smallest ring for Thirza, and she bought the biggest for him.

“You must wear the badge of slavery too, if I have to,” said Thirza.

Jerry put it on at once much to Thirza’s objection.

“What does it matter? I was a slave from the moment you set eyes on me and made up your mind to have me.” said Jerry. “Come, to court we must go to get our shackles.”

The magistrate, his assistant, the lawyer and his clerk, witnessed and fixed up their marriage. They stood before the magistrate who placed the ring on Thirza’s finger, and said, as if relieved, “That’s all and I wish you joy, Mrs. Nash.”

Everyone looked pleased and shook hands. Thirza had a new name and title. The magistrate handed the marriage certificate to her. Surprised, she took Jerry’s hand and they left the court room.

If the lack of ceremony, of pealing church bells, or bridesmaids and grooms, and not walking down the aisle to be unveiled and blessed, detracted from the legitimacy of their marriage certificate, Thirza and Jerry were oblivious to it.

“I will take you home tomorrow, Mrs. Nash. I know Jacob Vandeveeren. He will take us in his lorry.”

“Jerry, we should let people know of what we have done.”

“Good, we will go to the post office and send telegrams.”

“Jerry we also need to buy food, and that curtain you told me about, and maybe some other things.”

“What ‘other things’,” said Jerry.

“Oh, I will know when I see them,” came the reply.

Jerry looked at her and said, “As long as they have to do with fishing that’s fine by me. I must stock up on my pipe tobacco too.”

“And I need a good supply of pencils and paper for my writing,” added Thirza.

“Make sure you write about the big fish I will catch,” Jerry said teasingly.

“My dear Mr. Fisherman, you have already made your ‘big catch’, this mermaid is yours to have and hold,” she said, taking hold of his arm.

They laughed happily, went about the shopping, eager for the morning, and their home in the brushwood.

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