What I Learned From Jeff Miller

What I Learned From Jeff Miller

When I was a kid Jeff Miller lived across the street. He moved away when I was in elementary school. Before he left, I asked my mother if we could have a surprise going away party for him.  All the kids came to the party and we waited for Jeff to show up. 

His mother brought him across the street, I remember them walking down the sidewalk and up to our door in the rain. Jeff’s mom held the umbrella over both of them. 

She brought him to the door.

I said, “Come in.” 

 Jeff came in and all the kids yelled, “Surprise!”

Jeff’s mouth dropped open. He turned around in a circle, first looking at him mom, then back to me. He looked at the kids over my shoulder, then at me and said, “It’s really raining hard out there.”

His mother and my mother laughed, I thought it was a weird comment, and the party rolled on.  

I don’t remember if we had fun (I’m sure we did) or when Jeff actually moved away, but I have never forgotten the comment. 

I asked my mom why Jeff talked about the rain and she said sometimes people just don’t know what to say when they are surprised.

I submit to you that people don’t know what to say when they are very emotional. Like now. Like two weeks until the wedding and if you asked me, “Are you____?” and put in any emotion, I’d say, “Sure, I feel that.”

For instance if you said, “Are you excited, happy, thrilled, joyful, scared, terrified?”  

I’d say yes (I am just a little terrified that I’ll fall down the stairs holding the train of  Margaret's gown.  That would be a SNL wedding skit, right? Or National Lampoon?)

 So if I say something strange in the receiving line just remember my old friend Jeff Miller. 

Maybe I should make Jesse and Margaret read this so they will know what to do when I say something totally unrelated to what is happening around us. 

Good old Jeff was full of emotion and didn’t know what to say.

I know just how he feels.