The Proposal

She weeps

OK where, shall I start, I won’t bore you with the details on when I planned this or how I had the ring picked out for about a year (because I didn’t), but here we go. We are in the Poconos staying in a rented cabin with five other couples that went to college with me. (Sidenote, we play our bowl game tonite—WE ARE—PENN STATE!) We have reservations for 12 at a place called Sam Snead’s Inn, and me and a few of the fellas argue who Sam Snead was. I said a “famous gangster” another friend said a “porn star”. I’m totally internet dependant, and in the woods with no connectivity, we agree to disagree.

We get there and it’s apparent that he’s a famous golfer. This makes this the perfect place since me and the lady are golfers. Golf paraphernalia everywhere and clubs of other famous golfers, Arnold Palmer, Bobby Jones, everywhere. I take the first seat at the table and ask that we sit facing our mate as we sat next to them last New Year’s and I don’t think that would be conducive to my plot. So we’re sitting around the table, eating, drinking and having a merry old time. I go to the bathroom which I thought was 3 flights down, but that’s because I’m an idiot and should of realized there were bathroom’s on every floor. On this bottom floor was a bar, a band, and a bunch of table parties, party favors, hats, the whole 9. I think, wow this is where the fun is, because we were upstairs in the seated dining area. So I go to the bathroom lock the door and stare in the mirror and pull out the ring and ask myself “am I really gonna do this?” At that moment as if on cue, the band goes into Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight”. If you aren’t familiar with the song the lyrics start like this:

I can feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord
I’ve been waiting for this moment, all my life, Oh Lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord, Oh Lord

Once, they got to that guitar riff, it was over, I was hyped and ready to do the damn thing—but how/when? I go back to the table and looked to my friend who I had stayed up until 4:30AM the prior night and the only other person in the house that knew I might be up to something, to no avail, he was enjoying his dinner. At that moment someone suggested we go down stairs to watch the ball drop—I think perfect I’m more comfortable down there anyways.

We get there and we all have a flute of champagne in our hand, so at about 11:55, I propose a “pre-New Years Eve toast”. You don’t know how hard it is to get 12 people together who have been drinking and are anticipating a ball dropping any minute now. I finally get the last wife’s attention (I yelled at her—I apologize) and thank everyone for another great New Years gathering, blah blah blah, and then took the knee, and pulled out the ring and said “I want to ask my girlfriend to marry me”. Micki ’ has some sort of conniptions or something fanning herself backing into the servers entrance to the kitchen. I have to crawl forward on one knee to keep up with her, at that point I thought she was going to be the runaway bride.

By now our party of 10 go crazy and this gets the attention of the entire lower level who are cheering and yelling “what she say??” I thought the ball had dropped there was so much commotion. She said yes to me and I could hear her but it was sort of like a panicked yes. Finally after more yelling—still spazzed out she yells “Yes! Yes Yes!” So everyone yelled “put the ring on her finger!” I reach to grab her champagne flute which is empty (she told me later she pounded that puppy like a sailor) and slid the ring on her finger (wrong hand, we were corrected later). At that point I was swamped by the wives who had to get a look and pictures. My boys were dapping me up when somebody yelled “10-9-8..” The ball dropped we hugged and kissed and got a congratulations from everyone in the place. When we got back to our table the entire third floor knew and were congratulating us. Even the servers and the owner, and the management on the way out.

Micki wept and kept this “what the hell just happened” look on her face for another half hour or so. I think it went rather well. Darn sure she was surprised.

Close friends email me and I’ll forward you pics.

Still on my knees- does this mean yes???– unhand my chin woman!!!