My Brush with March Madness

The date was Saturday, December 17, 2022. My friend, Roger, and I were looking forward to attending his oldest granddaughter’s wedding in Little Rock. Miranda and William had been a couple for years and the entire family had been talking wedding plans since the previous April.

The ceremony was to be held at high noon at Trapnall Hall, one of the most beautiful antebellum homes in Arkansas. The large room was beautifully decorated for Christmas and the bride, entering the room on the arm of her father, was lovely in her fitted wedding dress with its brief train. She wore her long brown hair up in back and adorned with flower blossoms. It was fun to watch the groom beaming so proudly as his bride approached the altar.

Following the ceremony we left for the reception to be held downtown at the Capitol Hotel. The same pianist who played for the wedding also entertained us there. The ballroom was on the second floor off the mezzanine which was open to the hotel atrium. The giant Christmas tree towered just beyond the banisters.

It was a very cold day and people were all bundled in coats over their wedding clothes as they exited their cars to enter the lobby downstairs. One little girl, who could not have been more than five, was wearing a little white fur cape identical to her mother’s and I was watching them through the tall windows upstairs as something else caught my eye.

You see, the Capitol Hotel is directly across the street from the Marriott Hotel, both having large conference centers. Parked in the loading/unloading area in front of the Marriott was the Arkansas Razorback bus. The team was in town to play Bradley University at 3 p.m. in the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock. I stepped back from the windows to nudge Roger who was in conversation with his son, Brian.

“Oh, Roger, the Razorbacks are staying right across the street at The Marriott. They’re there now—see their bus? You stay here but I’m going to run across the street to look inside the lobby to see if I can see someone I recognize.”

“I don’t want you going by yourself; I’ll go with you since they haven’t begun seating us yet.” And he did.

Just as we rounded the back of the “Muss Bus” we saw the big doors open and a tall young man came out, his travel bag in hand and headed to the bus. As we drew nearer the walkway the doors opened again and out walked star player Devo Davis! I rushed up to him and said, “It’sYOU…it’s really you! May I touch you? “

“Yes Ma’am, you sure can,” and I reached up to touch his elbow. He was still laughing as he entered the bus, but no louder than Roger as he quickly snapped a picture with his cell phone.

“Oh, I can’t believe this! And, look, more players are coming out now!” We recognized one of the Mitchell twins and a slightly shorter Joseph Pinion trailing behind.

Since they were coming out individually or in small groups, we took time to step inside the doors and out of the freezing weather. I was shaking Roger’s arm and babbling something about how I could not believe who I was seeing when, through his laughter, he nodded for me to turn around and there was the Muss Man HIMSELF (Eric Musselman). Let me tell you, I could neither control my excitement nor my decorum as I exclaimed, “It’s Muss! It’s really Muss!!” The coach, closer to my height and line of sight, smiled and said, “Yep, ‘guess I am.” I managed a “Good luck in the game” as I flittered about the small area.

“A picture, Roger, just take a picture of his back!” But, alas, we did not get that shot as he walked away.

After the bus left, so did we. Roger and I walked back to the Capital Hotel for the reception--and to tell anyone who would listen of my frenetic behavior upon seeing my beloved Hogs up close and personal.

As promised, I later made several calls to family members describing Miranda’s big day and the lovely ceremony and reception that followed. I was careful to note in detail what Miranda, Kim (mother of the bride) and Susan (mother of the groom) wore and tried to do justice to the venues where it all took place. But as soon as I finished with my wedding account, I followed up immediately with, “And you will NOT believe what else happened…” with Roger adding his own follow-up, “I’ve never seen her like that before—she was as giddy as a school girl!”

Former La Grange resident Brenda Miles is an award winning columnist and author living in Hot Springs Village. She responds to comments sent to brenstar61@gmail.com.