I wrote this a while back but I wanted to get it into the blog.
I used to be a decent writer but it’s been a while, so I can’t promise that it’s interesting. But it should save me telling this story over and over to people. I’m also intrigued by the idea of blogging things over the course of the engagement and marriage for our kids to read. I know a diary wouldn’t get done but putting it on the web…… could spend hours!!! If you are just interested in the actual proposal, then skip to it. Otherwise, read on.
If you’re not a band geek, then you don’t know that every year there’s a marching band championship that’s held in Indianapolis, IN, called Bands of America. It’s HUGE – there’s about 15,000 people that watch finals on Saturday night when they have twelve bands perform at the RCA dome. JK and I started dating this weekend a year ago.
Some info on her – Jennifer Marie Kelley, born March 22, 1980, lives in Greenwood, Indiana. Marched with Center Grove High School for 3 years in the guard in the Ode to Joy show, the New Era show, and I forget the other. She is the most beautiful woman I know. She smiles and it lights up the room. But if I tell her that she gets embarrassed and does what I call the “berka berka noise” – ask her about it if you meet her. She’s taught summer camps for the place I work for for several years and is one of the “administrators” for the camps – means she runs one of three camps each week and then comes back here for two days, then leaves again. We stayed together this summer when she was in town, which meant we saw each other for what felt like three hours a week and that was it. But it was a good start on what it’ll be like later. Ever seen Jerry Maguire? The part when he says “You complete me”? That’s how I feel about her. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
Anyway, I had originally thought to ask her when we went to Vegas in May. The top of the Eiffel tower they have there would be perfect. But after we bought the ring, I didn’t think I could wait that long. I thought about Christmas at the zoo in Indy when they have a lights display, but wasn’t sure. So I narrowed it to BOA weekend.
JK has a sister named Liz who is a terrific person and a lot of fun, and she dates a guy named Luke (important to later plot developments). First time I met JK, Liz came home that night and put her in a headlock. Interesting. Anyway, I called Liz and told her what I wanted to do. The plan was to get a hotel room downtown for the night on Sunday and go out to dinner and dancing and maybe a carriage ride around downtown. Meanwhile, Liz would come into our hotel room and set it up for the asking. She loved it and was ready to help out.
I went over to Indy Wednesday AM for work to set up a booth at BOA. I knew I wanted rose petals for the bed, a rose to put the ring through, and music playing. Candles too and champagne to celebrate. I had to get everything there since I didn’t bring it with me.
Thursday afternoon after lunch I called Liz to ask her what flower shop I could get flower at. She answered,
“Hello?”
“Hey Liz it’s Scott. I need to know if you know a flower shop that I can get rose petals at.”
I kind of heard something in the background but I ignored it.
“So, do you know anyplace?”
“Hi LUKE. I’m with MY SISTER RIGHT NOW. CAN I CALL YOU BACK?”
Ooops.
Two seconds later, my phone rings. It’s JK.
“Hi Honey. Why were you asking about flower shops?”
“What? I’ve been in the RCA dome all day. What are you talking about?” Etc etc etc.
Close call. She bought it. Liz convinced here it had been Luke asking her where to buy flowers for Liz.
Called Liz later and got the name of a flower shop that JK had mentioned. She gave Liz the name of an expensive one so “Luke” would have to spend lots of money. Called there and made arrangements to buy rose petals. Lots of them. I wanted to cover the bed with them and put the ring through a single red rose.
Friday afternoon I got some time to pick everything. I had lunch and then started looking for a place to buy those little tea candles to light in the room. Would you believe that I couldn’t find them anywhere in the mall? All those shops selling everything under the sun and no tea candles. So I start walking to the place to buy the rose petals. Now, the day before, I had picked up a new pair of shoes to wear. Some nice Bostonian dress shoes that were a lot better than the old beat up pair of black ones I always wore. After about two blocks, I came to the realization that new shoes + standing all day + walking downtown when you don’t know where you are going = a lot of pain. Bad mistake. Grimly, I soldiered on. (Like the drama there?)
Found the flower shop and got rose petals. Also the rose. Got rained on. Walked by a liquor store, turned around and went back in for a bottle of champagne. Had the wine person there recommend a bottle that he said would be good. Got rained on. Walked by a Hallmark store, turned around, and found they had a pair of champagne glasses and some candles. ALL SET!!! Mary Lynn (one of the family members I work for) had picked up a copy of the Rightous Brothers singing Unchained Melody on CD for me. Stashed everything in JKs garage so her sister could find it on Sunday. She still had no idea.
Saturday we were all standing around our booth and JK was there. My boss loudly announces to the person she’s talking to that I’m going to propose to JK this weekend. Meanwhile JK is standing about two feet away talking to someone else. AUUUGGGHHH! Luckily, she missed hearing it. I thought it was all over. Still no clue. All her friends that were around knew and never mentioned it. Loved it.
Sunday – the big day. We go downtown to the hotel around 4 or 5 and get into a room on the 7th floor. Funniest thing I’ve ever seen was the HUGE sign for Hooters flashing in the window from across the street. I had left my laptop in the truck – we took 2 cars so she could go to class on Monday – and I told her I was going back down to get it. I spoke to the night manager and told him exactly what I had planned. Very nice guy. He set up a key for Liz and offered to get anything else we needed: champagne, roses, anything. I told him we were all set. The only thing was that we couldn’t use the candles because the room was non-smoking and it might set off the alarm.
I called Liz and told her everything was ready. She suggested getting a smoking room so we could light candles if the manager was willing to switch us and so I thought I’d try. Back inside to the desk and presto, he gives us a SUITE on the third floor!!! It’s getting better and better. Liz said she would move our stuff for us so JK wouldn’t know a thing.
Finally it’s all set. She isn’t feeling well so now I’m worried that it’s going to be a mess. We leave for dinner and she says we’ll have to see about going dancing, maybe we’ll just eat and take a carriage ride around downtown. We have to have a white horse if we do though – apparently they are cuter. :) As soon as we get into the Chinese restaurant (PF Chang – very good food if you’re ever in Indy), I fake natures call and start dialing Liz from the bathroom. One bar on the cell phone – great. Hope it works.
“Hello?”
“Liz, it’s Scott. You gotta haul up the hotel NOW. She’s not feeling well so I don’t know how long we’ll be here.”
“Got it.”
I feel like Mission Impossible. Maybe I should hang from the ceiling.
Back to the table. Have you ever purposely tried to make a meal last as long as you can. First step – order the appetizer even if she doesn’t want it. Then wait as long as possible to order food. The eat slowly, and eat EVERY BIT of the HUGE bowl of rice they give you, as well as the entire plate of Almond and Cashew Chicken. Even if she’s got her coat on for 15 minutes while you finish. :) Fake ANOTHER call from nature and call Liz from the bathroom again. Everything is good to go. FINALLY.
Then we go looking for the carriage ride. I keep telling her maybe we should go back and get a sweatshirt from the hotel so she won’t be cold, thinking I could take her up there and propose then. No go. While she hits the ATM for cash, I tell the very patient carriage driver how I’m going to propose to her and ask inane questions about him, the horse, his job, and a million other things. I think I’ll never shut up. But I wasn’t nervous at all. Just talkative and impatient.
At last, back to the hotel. After all the fake bathroom trips, now I really have to go. I ask her to wait for me in the lobby while I find the restroom for real. Strange look from her, but still no clue what’s about to happen. We get on the elevator and head up to the seventh floor. Side note – every time she has asked me when I’m finally going to propose, I keep telling her to trust me. When we get to the seventh floor, I stop her from getting off and ask,
“Do you trust me?”
Pause. Funny look. “Yes…..”
“Okay. Back on the elevator”
We go down to the third floor and I make her close her eyes. I walk her through what feels like a mile of hotel hallway holding her arm till we get to the door.
THE PROPOSAL
I open the door and take her in. Take her purse and jacket, set them down, light the candles, and tell her to open her eyes.
There are rose petals all over the floor from the door to the bed. Candles lit on the table. Music in the background. Chocolates by the table and champagne also. A single red rose on the bed with the ring around the stem. I walk her to the bed and sit her down. As I try to take the ring off the rose, my hands are shaking, my knees feel weak and I’m about to cry. She’s almost crying. I take the ring and get down on one knee and take off the other ring she wears. Slide the engagement ring on, look at her, and say.
“I love you. I want you to marry me.”
She grabs me and we’re both sitting on the floor holding each other. Nothing has ever felt so good.
And the rest is, as they say, history. :)
No Comments