wedding road trip

Say Nice Things About Detroit

When I was a kid growing up on the west side of Michigan, Detroit was considered evil. It was big, it was crowded, the people were mean, and the sports teams sucked. Far worse, Detroit was a genuinely dangerous place, with carjackings, rampant arson, crack, Lions and Tigers, and indiscriminate murders. Since then, things have gotten a little better, but Detroit is generally not considered a tourist destination. Unless you’re Jaime, who has been looking forward to returning to Detroit for this entire trip.

I was actually looking forward to our visit for three reasons:

1. I think Detroit is a very interesting place, with incredible mansions and skyscrapers, as well as urban ruins. Think of it like the US version of Rome.
2. Detroit is Roxy’s homeland.
3. We got to visit my friend Jessica and her husband Tony.

I know Jessica from college, which was where she first met Tony. After a detour to another relationship, they got back together, were married last summer, and now are awaiting their first child. Jessica is a high school teacher which means she is having trouble coming up with a name for her future son, since almost every name reminds her of a student. She may have to resort to something old fashioned. I’m thinking Aloysius, but Tony suggested Michael Jackson, which would be an excellent tribute.

Tony kindly drove us around Detroit, showing off the old and the new.  We then went to dinner in Mexicantown, where we asked them about their relationship. Tony mentioned that sometimes little white lies can help avoid conflict in a marriage. For example, if I don’t like Jaime’s cooking, I should simply nod and smile when she asks if I like her unique take on deep fried Twinkies. Jessica shared a story about their wedding, which included games between the bride and groom. It’s an excellent idea, so I’ve decided to add mud wrestling and a cow chip throwing contest to our own ceremony in August.

Overall, I think the piece of advice that sticks with me the most is… go with what you know. One of the reasons Jessica found her way back to Tony was because she could trust where he was from and what he was all about. They both strongly advised living together first, but Jaime said she refused to give up her time living with Janet. I’d be jealous, but I’m looking forward to the month I’ll be spending with my Aunt Barb and Uncle Sean prior to us getting hitched. I’ll deal with Jaime’s wet towel and toothpaste habits later.

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