KEY POINTS:
What were the Bradleys thinking when they decided to sue their wedding caterer for "loss of ambience"? You may remember the Bradleys.
They were the couple holding their wedding reception at Gail's of Tamahere, a function centre on the outskirts of Hamilton, on Saturday April 5, the day the Icepak Coolstore exploded, killing one fireman and seriously injuring seven of his colleagues.
One of them, Merv Neil, is still in intensive care. I will never forget footage of him, leading would-be rescuers to safety, before finally accepting help.
I remember, too, the poignant image of the bride, standing alone on the grounds of the reception centre, as her guests rushed to see how they could help.
I saw interviews where she said she'd been so upset she'd been unable to open the wedding presents. She felt dreadful that her day of days had been cut short.
Hmmm, I thought, and put it down to a bit of post-traumatic stress. But then to find she and her husband had taken the poor woman who owns the function centre to the Disputes Tribunal for "loss of ambience"!
My God, was there no one among their friends and family who could have told the Bradleys that this was a very, very bad idea? Nobody around who could have given them some perspective? An uppercut?
One man dead leaving a wife and child; one man fighting to survive, his partner and children have had their lives turned upside down; six other men whose lives will never be the same again - and Bridezilla is suing because her wedding day lacked ambience?
And it's not as if Mrs Bradley was some blushing doe-eyed young virgin trembling with delicious anticipation at the prospect of a day of festivities that would ultimately lead to her deflowering.
She and her bloke had lived together for 10 years before deciding to tie the knot. Mercifully, the Disputes Tribunal ruled in favour of Gail Jones, although the Waikato Times says details of the hearing are not known.
Mrs Jones didn't have a lot to say - I imagine she's been speechless since learning that the Bradleys were suing.
As for the unhappy couple, well, they just want to move on and put it all behind them. It would be nice if the men from Red Watch and their families could do the same so easily.
