Thank heavens for little girls!

My 77-year-old friend got married yesterday. Happy day! 
We went to the reception. Lots of food, small cake, totally the way it should be done. 
UNTIL she sends her granddaughter out to collect the "single girls", specifically me, so she could throw the bouquet. Now, I don't put weight on silly things like that. Just because you catch a bouquet does not mean you will be the next to marry. 
I tried to get out of it. Tried to talk Mom into leaving. Tried to hide in a group of people. Tried to pretend like I didn't exist. It didn't work. She wouldn't throw the bouquet until I was standing in the group of single women. 
As she's getting ready to throw, she notices several little girls at the front of the "pack" of singles and says, "No, no. You girls are too young for this. You go play." I (from the back of the crowd) say, "Oh, no. They're fine. Really! Let them be a part of this." 
Thank heavens for little girls!!! She looked at me, tried to "aim" where the bouquet went, and totally missed. All the little girls ran for the bouquet and one of the taller ones caught it. She had a huge smile on her face and was overjoyed that she caught it. 
I was smiling, too, until I saw my friend's face. She was NOT happy that I had avoided catching the bouquet. In fact, I think she was rather upset. I gave her a big hug and told her thanks for trying. Relief! I'm glad I didn't catch it! 
When I found Mom, I told her what happened, laughing about it. Then, when I said my friend looked kind of upset, Mom said, "I bet she was. She really wanted you to catch it." 
Oh, well. I feel bad she was upset, but you know, catching a bouquet really doesn't mean anything. It's just a tradition we do. And it's kind of a silly one at that. Catching some flying flowers in no way means you will be the next to marry. Because if that's all it took, I'd have been married for the last 20 years.