The Engagement cont.

Keith and I had already decided that we wanted to get married this year in the fall, and the problems with the ring were postponing our engagement, making this time frame difficult. We decided to start preparing for the engagement and wedding. That same weekend of Mother's Day, we started registering. Towards the end of the day, we decided to see the movie "Unfaithful" (ironic, isn't it?). We arrived unknowingly an hour early at the movie theater. So, Keith just started driving -- he was driving toward his old apartment and was just driving randomly. Since "Unfaithful" was premiering that weekend, I was just concerned we wouldn't be able to get tickets. I kept asking Keith, "Where are you going? What are you doing? Can't we just turn around and buy the tickets?" He eventually turned to me and said, "Maybe I'm trying to find a romantic spot to propose to you in." I said, "This is ridiculous. You don't even have the ring. And you're NOT going to propose to me outside of the Perimeter (Atlanta's perimeter highway separates intown living from the suburbs, more or less. I happen to be a self-proclaimed inside-the-Perimeter snob.) Let's just turn around!" Exasperated, Keith turned around, we bought the tickets, and went to see the movie.

The next day (Sunday, May 12) was a beautiful day. After sleeping in and running some errands, we took my dog Ted to Lenox park, where Keith and I went often while dog-sitting Ted. As we neared a little wooden bridge, Keith says to me, "You know -- I really don't think we should do any more wedding planning without being engaged." I said, "Well -- okay, if you don't want to." As we stepped on the bridge and looked into the water, Keith took the box for my grandmother's engagement ring (which I had seen and recognized) out of his pocket -- apparently he had been carrying it around with him all weekend. "Here he goes again", I thought to myself, thinking we were joking again. Keith stated, "Well, you know I don't want to do it this way, but since the ring keeps getting messed up, and we want to get started with everything, I've decided to propose with Gaga's ring." I opened up the box, and saw a paper ring. "Very funny," I said, "A paper ring!" He told me to touch it, and then I realized there was something inside of the paper. I started to unpeel the paper, expecting to see my grandmother's ring. I opened one side, and then the other, and then it hit me -- this was NOT Gaga's ring. This was the ring he had chosen for ME! I turned to look at Keith, he smiled, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. Of course, I said, "YES!" as if there was ever any question, gave him a big hug and a kiss, and smiled from ear to ear. Then -- the phone calls began!

By the way, Ted was the first to know, but, of course, had no interest in the event whatsoever and was just concerned with continuing his walk and sniffing (and marking) every blade of grass, every bush, and every tree in the park.