The Proposal: Boobie’s Version
So my jeweler told me that they were surprised that I was able to hold onto the ring from November until March. I hadn’t chosen a center stone, so I wasn’t feeling the rush to get a proposal together. I really hadn’t gotten into the details about how I was going to pop the question. According to my jeweler, most guys couldn’t keep the secret of the ring for very long at all, and like all most of those guys, once that center stone was set, an imaginary timer started ticking in my mind.
I had decided to propose to Bernice in a 1-on-1 setting, but I needed an occasion that wouldn’t trigger that “it’s happening” radar that so many women seem to have. Fortunately, she had just received a promotion at work and we hadn’t celebrated yet. I asked her to pick a restaurant and that we would go on Friday. That week, things progressed as usual and then she told me that her friend was having an event in DC. I said we could still go to dinner on Thursday (because no one pops the question on a random Thursday)
When Thursday came around and the plan was to meet at her house and ride together, but of course that plan started to fall apart. We wound up having to commute separately and on the way to the restaurant, I thought it would be a good idea to write my proposal out for Bernice to read (and so I could figure out what I wanted to say. So, I stopped to pick up a card, she called and I said I was buying gum (that’s all that came to mind). I wrote the proposal in the card envisioning that I’d present the ring to her as she was reading. Dinner was going great and as we neared the end, I mentioned that I got her a congratulatory card to celebrate her promotion.
As we walked to the car, she was pretty eager to read the card, but I didn’t quite know exactly when I would give it to her. Another car was waiting to park so I went and pulled my car out of the spot and behind her car. She had already got into the car, so I asked her to get out to read that card. When she got out of the car, I gave her the card and as she began to read, I could see her expressions began to change. As she looked up at me on bended knee, she took a step backward as I proceeded to ask her the question that would change our lives forever….
The Proposal: Dear’s Version
“Make sure your ‘Hair Done, Nails Done, Everything Did’ girl!” Yes . . . he quoted Swizz Beatz. It was Wednesday night and I was getting ready for bed. Boobie was taking me out to celebrate my new job and promotion the next day. New Job? Free Food? It was the greatest week ever.
“Make sure your ‘Hair Done, Nails Done, Everything Did’ girl!” WAIT A MINUTE! It’s now six o’clock in the morning on Thursday. The day we are supposed to go to dinner. I am now officially freaking out. Did he say that for real? I have always said to Isaiah, “If you ever propose, make sure my nails are done!” Is he proposing today? CRAP! My nails aren’t done. Commence total freak out!
I grabbed a bottle of nail polish and threw it in my purse. I proceeded to ask him questions while he was asleep: “What did you say to me yesterday? Boobie! Did you say I had to wear a dress?” Why was I freaking out? We were just going to Cava. It was because this is the first time that he’s ever dropped a hint. It felt different (from all the other times I thought he was going to propose but never did). I made the reservations for dinner and the plan was that we would meet up at my house in order to ride to the restaurant together. I got to work at around 7:00/7:30, which worked out perfectly. I shared an office, so it gave me enough time to paint my nails before my officemates arrived.
As usual, I couldn’t get out of the office to make it to the house in time. So I called Isaiah to suggest that we meet at the restaurant. I didn’t want to lose the reservation. He answers the phone and there’s music in the background. “Where are you?” “CVS.” “Why?” “I needed some gum.” “But you don’t chew gum.” Why is this man lying to me?
Finally made it to the restaurant. They didn’t have my reservation! I was so frustrated at that point because Isaiah wasn’t there and I was hungry. I lurked around the bar like a creeper ’til . . . guess who decides to show up in a suit? Yep, a suit! Mr. Polo and Khakis has a suit on. He gave me some BS excuse about having a customer meeting. I wasn’t buying it. You know why? Because I asked this man in the morning whether or not he wanted me to have a dress on and he said no! Now I am underdressed. GREAT!
All evening Isaiah was acting weird. Asking me questions like “why do you like this place?” and saying things like “we need to celebrate life!” In my head I am asking myself questions like: “Why was he reaching in his pocket so frequently? Why did he look nervous every time the server walked by? Was he going to pull a ring out of his pocket? Was the server going to bring a ring on a platter? WHEN IS THIS HAPPENING?” Then the check came. Deflated. I hyped myself up, again.
Isaiah proceeds to tell me that he had a card for me but it was in his car. I thought it was pretty simple, go get the card. He refused. For some reason, he insisted that I needed to go outside to read the card. This went on for about three minutes. Then I realize . . . Wait! There’s still hope. What if all of my family and friends are outside waiting for me? With a big sign that says “Will You Marry Me?” Ahh, the excitement was back. I get outside and there’s no one in the parking except for the lurker waiting for a parking spot. Deflated.
So I got in my car. Isaiah proceeds to block me in so that the lurker could park (the parking lot is pretty small). He had me get out of the car to read the card. I opened up the envelope, to see a picture of puppies. At one point, Isaiah kept saying he wanted a dog and that it had to stay with me [Isaiah had roommates vs. I had a home and lived alone]. I have always said, “The only way a dog could live here is if you lived here with it. You can only live here if I have a ring on my finger.” The card started off real simple. He shared how proud of me he was, how much he loved me and how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me… “Starting today.” Say what?????!?!?!?!?
I looked up. Isaiah was staring deep into my eyes and started to pull something out his pocket. I know my face was that of concern because this couldn’t be happening. I was confused (crazy how I felt confused when I was waiting for it all day). I felt myself slowly walking backwards but there was nowhere else to go. I started to cry. I couldn’t hear a word he said. I just saw a ring and the man I loved. So I shook my head.
