Dr. Laura at a bachelor party...
I thought that might be a good way to get your attention and honestly you were the last thing on my mind when I accepted an invitation to join a friend's bachelor party.I am 34 years old, married (first-and-only marriage for both) to my best friend for a little over 3 years...no kid-lets yet.
I was nervous for the weekend because I knew some of the guys invited were heavy drinkers and I knew we would be frequenting strip clubs. In the lobby of our hotel there was a happy hour where drinks were free and people gathered to socialize before going out for the night. I saw three teenagers who seemed less than thrilled to be there with Mom sitting at a table, so I decided to make some friends. The mom said something which prompted me to bring you up which is strange because I never stood on the "Dr. Laura soap box" before. Immediately the mom's ears perked up, and one of the teenage daughters rolled her eyes. I couldn't just let her reaction go, so I asked the daughter about her eye roll. She very bluntly said, "She's so rude." When I asked why she thought so, she said "she just cuts people off and her tone is just rude." My response to her comment was simply, "If you really listen, she advises parents to do what is best for the kids since children who are cared for and loved turn out to be contributing members of society." While I was speaking to her daughter, I was really hoping the mother was listening to my words since she had three underage kids at a bar and no dad in sight.
With Dr. Laura still on the brain fast forward to later that night at a bar...
I saw this girl eyeing our group of guys. She walked right up and started talking to us. It was painfully obvious she was out looking to have a good time with whoever paid attention to her first. Everyone in our group lost interest and many of them decided to head to one of the strip clubs, but I decided to stay behind with this girl. I asked her if she wanted to get married someday. She said, "Of course." I asked, "Do you want it to last?" She looked at me funny and said, "Well yea." I said, "Well it's not going to happen this way." I spent time telling her how much I love my wife, how much I love being married and how in my opinion hooking up with random guys will not lead to a happily ever after. We chatted a while longer until someone who wasn't married gave her the attention she was seeking and pulled her away. Who knows if she remembers our talk, but I hope in a small way something stuck.
The moral of my stories is that even at a bachelor party, with temptations and distractions; it is still possible to do the right thing. Keep fighting the good fight Dr. Laura and know that there are more people like me who agree with your views despite the knuckleheads trying to suck the joy and faith out of us one by one.
Blessings and gratitude,
Chris
