A Shotgun Wedding

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 A woman awakes during the night to find that her husband was not
in
their bed.
      She puts on her robe and goes downstairs to look for him.

      She finds him sitting at the kitchen table with a hot cup of
coffee in
front of him.

      He appears to be in deep thought, just staring at the wall.

      She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye and takes a sip of
his
coffee.

      "What's the matter, dear?" she whispers as she steps into the
room,
"Why are you down here at this time of night?"

      The husband looks up from his coffee, "I am just remembering when
we
first met 20 years ago and started dating.

      You were only 16. Do you remember back then?" he says solemnly.

      The wife is touched to tears thinking that her husband is so
caring,
so sensitive.

      "Yes, I do" she replies.

      The husband pauses. The words were not coming easily.

      "Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of
my
car?" "Yes, I remember," said the wife, lowering herself into a chair
beside
him.

      The husband continues. "Do you remember when he shoved the
shotgun in
my face and said, "Either you marry my daughter, or I will send you to
jail
for 20 years?"

      "I remember that too" she replies softly.

      He wipes ano ther tear from his cheek and says...

      "I would have gotten out today."