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Not A Moment To Say, 'I Do,' Charlie?

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By DANIEL RUTH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 15, 2008

At the time he went to that Big Mac in the sky, the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington had been betrothed to the love of his life for more than 20 years, a phenomenon known in the Windy City as an "Irish engagement."

Washington always insisted with all the demands of a public life he had simply never found a moment in his schedule to say his "I do's." Busy, busy, busy. So many pizzas, so little time.

But for 20 years he could never find a spare minute to tie the knot? Uh, do you suppose Hizzoner simply had colder feet than Uday and Qusay?

And that probably explains why I heard the strains of "Danny Boy" wafting through my consciousness as Florida Gov. Charlie Crist suggested the other day that perhaps his impending marriage, to New York/Fisher Island socialite/heiress Carole Rome, might not take place this fall as first announced.

"It could be the spring," the governor said of the possible wedding to Rome, who got Brunei in her recent divorce settlement.

Whistling While He Works

After all, Crist noted, "... it's looking like the fall will be pretty busy."

The governor, of course, was referring to the upcoming presidential campaign. And he was also referring, in a sort of whistling past the Electoral College kind of way, that it might be even busier if he is tapped to become Arizona Sen. John McCain's vice presidential running mate.

This whole "I'm so important, so preoccupied with the affairs of state to get married" sounds plausible enough for someone who is the governor of the fourth-largest state in the union, until you stop and realize this sort of logic is really a huge, stinking pile of piffle.

Indeed, there is nothing, absolutely nothing to prevent Crist and Rome, who got Halliburton in the settlement, from taking out a marriage license today and having a judge somewhere perform the ceremony. Right now. Before the end of this column.

Toaster? Check!

C'mon, it's not as if Rome, who got the Rolling Stones in the settlement, needs to sign up for the bridal registry at Target. Don't you imagine the happy couple probably have a toaster between them?

And at nearly 52 this July 24, it's rather doubtful the governor would be interested in a bachelor party with strippers and shots of Jagermeister.

In all fairness, working out the prenuptial agreement, which will probably be longer than the combined tonnage of the Harry Potter books, could take a pinch of time.

But as a practical matter there is precious little that would prevent Crist and Rome, who got Oprah in the settlement, from hopping on Florida Air National Guard One to Las Vegas.

It was in 1992 this month that the Bombshell of the Balkans and I jetted off to Vegas to get married at the Little Chapel of the Bells.

Like the governor and his sweetums, who got the National Football League in the settlement, we had both been married before and there were children involved who needed parents.

The entire wedding ceremony probably lasted less than five minutes. But the marriage has lasted for 16 years.

We were very busy people. Yet we still found the time. Love always finds the time.

Cue: "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?" Busy, very busy.

Keyword: Book of Ruth, to read and comment on Daniel Ruth's blog.

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