May 25th, 2011
"Can I help you?"
He works in retail. I work in retail. I knew what I was there for. Easy enough. All I had to do was tell him what I wanted.
"I was just stopping by," I said, with my chest thumping. I smiled at the clerk and walked out the door. With my heart still racing, I walked down Chapel Street and headed towards York, where I had parked my car. Once I got to the car, I sat in the driver's seat and took a few deep breaths.
All right, I thought to myself. I am going to do this.
I walked back to Celtica. The clerk, an elderly man in his 70s, smiled at me when he saw me return.
"I'm actually here for a wedding ring," I said.
"Ah," his eyes lit up.
Keeping all this a secret from Nicole was challenging. I had told her that I was driving down to New Haven to visit my grandmother--which was true. I didn't share any other details about the trip. That night, I penned a proposal to my dearest. The following morning, I was going to have to put this plan in action, as coyly and discreetly as possible.
The following morning, Nicole asked me if I had planned to do anything special today. After all, it was our five year anniversary. I had to give the appearance that I wasn't planning to do anything to out of the ordinary as to arouse suspicion.
"Well, it is our day off."
"And?"
"I was thinking we could go hiking up a tall mountain--or go for a bike ride."
We ended up taking our bikes to the Farmington Canal Trail--the secluded path from Simsbury to Massachusetts where Nicole and I had started training for our epic journey last year. I knew just the spot where I would We started pedaling. After about mile 20, we crossed the bridge over Salmon Brook.
"Let's turn here," I said.
Nicole wasn't too pleased, because she knew we were traveling downhill to the riverbed. Arg, she thought to herself as we coasted towards the river's edge. One more hill to climb.
Once we reached the river's soothing waters, I handed Nicole a note to read. It read as follows:
"My dearest Nicole,
I am writing to let you know that the things I enjoy doing mean nothing without you.
Even the simple act of waking up in the morning has special meaning when I wake up next to you.
I have learned what it means to be in love after spending five wonderful years together. I can feel the aura of your love like a magnet, and I love the feeling of being loved by you.
You are the one constant in my life. Your affection is unlimited and unceasing. I never understood true love until we lived together. All my hobbies have an augmented feeling when we do them together. It is clear that our love will never temper, but only grow stronger with the passage of time.
When we play tennis, make stir fry, or watch movies together, it is exciting because we are in love. When we enjoy and endure epic bicycle travels together, we are in love. And when I freak out and yell at traffic as much as I try to restrain myself--I'm glad you can forgive my impatience because we are in love.
It is clear that not a soul can love understand me the way that you do. Your gifts as an artist and a chef are only exceeded by your empathy, compassion and understanding. I love to be in love with you.
Please accept my proposition for extra special love. My dear Nicole, is it so clear to me that we are right for one another. Please say Yes when I ask you to marry me, so that we can finally display to the whole world what our relationship means. Please wear this ring to symbolize our ever fixed mark, a love which has no limit.
Please say yes because our love is real, yes because I love you, and you love me.
Please say yes,
Your Love,
~Kevin.
Nicole read carefully, looking at me to gauge my reaction to her reaction. When she had finished reading, our eyes locked. She held the letter in her hand.
"Is this for real," she asked.
I nodded.
She said Yes!!
