Grasses in Winter

Becca got a job at the hospital and no longer works at the dairy.  I was surprised, therefore, when she bounced in today during milking and asked if we had seen her fiancé.  It didn't register immediately w/ me the implications of what she said but it did w/ Lisa, the intern.  "You're engaged!" she gushed.  I remembered my manners and gave Becca my best wishes but no congratulations.  You never congratulate the bride-to-be since that would imply that she was lucky to find someone who would marry her.  You do congratulate the groom-to-be since he was lucky enough to find someone who would marry him.  I know; it's all pretty archaic and if I really thought about it, I would probably conclude it was sexist.  Sometimes, though, it's those little rules that are the oil to keep the cogs of society meshing smoothly.  Becca beamed as she told how Mike proposed.  Mike gave a little self-conscious smile when I saw him later and offered my congratulations.  Love can be pretty cute.