Apparently finalizing the seating arrangements for the wedding reception in the same format as my fantasy-football draft is a non-starter.

In the next few months we’re profiling all of our wedding guests. Check back to see what we write about you.

I met Melissa early in my Vermont Law School (VLS) career but did not get to know her well until we became housemates with Jason and Dan M. during our third year. While many of you know, or think you know, Melissa (smart, fun, beautiful, urban-lawyer type) what you may not know is that she once saved my life.

It was 2001 and Vermont was having a wicked bad (this is the correct New England description of the storm as articulated in televised and print media at the time) snowstorm that closed roads and shut off power for several days near our farmhouse in rural Vermont.

Melissa took charge (it’s who she is) of food triage as it was uncertain when we would get off our frosty mountain. First, all beer and white wine was to be stored in the snowdrift adjacent to the back door, so there would be no need to don snow boots when access was required. The rest of the food was to be buried in random piles in the front yard marked by Wiffle ball rackets. [Editor’s note: Yes, Margaret just called bats “rackets.” As she’s not paying me for my editorial services, I’m letting that faux pas slide.] Really, a great system.

As the long hours turned into long days, Jason, Melissa, and I entertained ourselves with fun and games, as the light was insufficient to read, write, or study. It was on the fourth night without power and we were down to the last two watermelon wine coolers that the incident occurred.

I was solidly beating Jason in a six-hour game of Hearts; this fact is well documented. At one point I innocently totaled the score noting my clear advantage. Jason turned towards Melissa and said, in a slow and calculated voice, “I will kill her.” Melissa, knowing exactly what to do, whisked me down the hall, locked me in my room, and told me to stay there. I’m not sure what she said to Jason, but her heroic acts that night saved me from an early demise at the hands of a sub-par Hearts player.

*scheduled to attend