An Elder's Mandate
Cast:
Scorp, Yasuda Takeo - age 37
Yasuda Mizusu - Takeo's wife - age 29
Yasuda Takenori - Takeo's father - age 72
September, 2010
The wedding was a great success. Scorp, Yasuda Takeo, is now the husband of the woman like a durian, Mizusu. Although he intends to walk again someday, he was obliged to undergo the ceremony while seated in a wheelchair.
Life is precious. He has no time to wait for such a trivial goal.
Before they are fully free to enjoy their wedded life, there is the wedding reception. This is fine. Even if they are both looking forward to the wedding night, they are adults. A party held in their honor with speeches and cake is no great burden.
However.
After the best man has made his speech, Scorp's father ascends to the stage, his cane clicking against the hardwood floor. His advanced age is fully evident in his withered appearance.
"I didn't know your father was going to speak."
"He wasn't," Scorp makes a face as if he swallowed something rotten. "And nobody is going to stop him now."
The old man takes the mic. "For those of you who don't know me, I am the father of the groom. As are we all, I'm up here to congratulate my son and my new daughter-in-law on their new life together. You may have already guessed this, but I was married once. It really was the experience of a lifetime, and I recommend it to anybody.
"However!" Scorp's father shouts into the microphone, then turns to point at the newlyweds. "You, and you. Make with the nookie, you two! Time's a-wastin'! I am seventy-two years old and I want to actually meet my grandkids, so the two of you had better get your butts in gear! Understand?"
Attendees at the wedding include friends of the groom and of the bride from all parts of their lives. Never before have any of them seen either facepalm as they do now.