Monday, February 17, 2014

where do i begin ... let me count the ways

So so much has happened in the past twelve days that the best way (I think) to recap it is to just present it as facts.  A list.  Yeah, a list.  Let's go with that.

Tuesday or Wednesday ... almost two weeks ago:
      I learned about a contest for a couple, who is still married, to renew their vows on the air of a radio station in a "2nd Chance Wedding."  All you had to do to enter was send an email to the radio station in 150 words or less, why they deserved the chance to have a 2nd chance wedding.  I quickly typed all about my honeymoon, I counted the words, I pressed SEND.

I promptly forgot about it.

Thursday ... two days later:
      I found an email in my inbox that asked if I'd be available for a call, from Jody Dean, the DJ.  I was shocked that the DJ himself actually sent the email.  I scoured and scoured it... to see if it was real.  It was.  I sent off an "OF COURSE!!" in all caps.  And then nothing.  I went home that night wondering... but not all that concerned.

Friday ... the next day:
      I had a voice mail from Jody Dean waiting for me when I got to work.  I was told to call him back during his show on Friday morning.  The voice mail had come at 6:00 pm the night before.  I called him back on Friday, immediately after his show went off the air.  When we talked, he taped my little story about our hurricane-spoiled honeymoon.  I felt good about my interview.  I felt good about my chances.  I figured my interview would air on Monday... and maybe I'd win... because Jody Dean had even told me where to go next week IF I was selected.  Something about his tone led me to believe a stood a chance.

Monday ... last week:
      My interview did not air.  I listened and listened, to every moment, ever word of the show and it didn't air.  No one's aired.  Two interviews had already aired the week prior and they were not that compelling.  But no one's aired on Monday.

A few hours later:
      I had a phone call from Jody.  He asked simply, "How are you?"  I said I was SO NERVOUS!  He asked why and I explained that I was nervous because I hadn't heard any stories, any entrants and that confused me.  He told me not to worry ... and that I "didn't hear it from him" but we were going to win.  And he needed to make sure I'd told Rick and that I was willing to come to the studio on Friday and renew my vows on air.  I was.  OH WAS I!

I wasn't supposed to tell anyone ... so I went straight to Facebook and to my blog and told everyone I could think of.  I planned how to take the day off work and I planned how and when to get a new dress and shoes and how I would do my hair.  When we had talked that morning, he said, "I'll call you when I get off the air tomorrow."

Monday night:
      I was scolded by my daughter for announcing the winning on Facebook.  She's a firm believer in not counting your chickens until they're hatched.  But I already knew I'd won.  I'd heard it from the horse's mouth.

Tuesday morning:
      Our story aired on the radio!  And as fun as it was and as good as it was and as much as I knew we'd already won ... I was SO confused.  At the end of my tale, Jody talked about how great my story was and how I was the frontrunner.  He even said, "Yeah, she'll do."  Then he said, "We have one more story to hear and I'm going to listen to it off the air."

For the entire rest of Tuesday I was confused.  And when that promised phone call never came, I saw my winnings just fly away.  I just knew that that "other interview he listened to off the air" had been fabulous, she'd won and Jody had simply forgotten me.  The call on Tuesday never came.

- to be continued -

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