Five Weddings by Kevin Maloney

Mask on. Mask off.

It was only a matter of time before I stumbled across an author writing about the COVID-19 pandemic, which upon reflection, often feels like a surreal fever dream. Did that really happen? Yes. Yes it did. And it was five years ago.

What a wild time and it all feels like a total blur.

Five Weddings by Kevin Maloney immediately struck a personal chord with me, since my wife and I somehow found ourselves trapped in a seemingly endless loop of pandemic-era nuptials. Between 2020 and 2022, we must have attended at least nine weddings. It wasn't a wedding season but more of a wedding era. We spent so much money on gifts, I half expected our bank to flag us for suspicious activity. 

Maloney captures the sheer absurdity of pandemic life with all the lockdowns, social distancing, mask enforcement and even our obsession with wiping down groceries like we were decontaminating a biohazard site. The sharp, offbeat humor made me chuckle throughout. Despite its brevity, this story is a fast-paced and zany ride. Plus it has a cat officiating the couple's fifth wedding. What more could you ask for? 

You can read this story HERE.