Pat and I had been dating for three years. My very-old-fashioned Greek parents were starting to believe Pat was never going to propose. Christmas was coming up quickly, and my mother, who was unwilling to really welcome Pat into the family until there was a ring on my finger, told me, "I’m not getting him a Christmas present. I think he’s stringing you along." I was hurt, but I knew my parents had tried their best to be patient. But they were both from the Old World, and for them, a man "who had serious intentions," made it clear to the girl’s parents as soon as they started dating. I knew Pat loved me, and I loved Pat, and while I was willing to be patient, my parents’ skepticism was starting to get to me.
Pat’s birthday was December 4th. I asked him what he wanted to do to celebrate, and he said he wanted to go to the museum. We took the subway from Brooklyn into Manhattan. Pat, my lovable chatterbox, was unusually quiet the entire ride up. When we went inside the museum, Pat was distracted. He seemed to be looking for something, and was dragging me from one exhibit to another. I obliged, since it was his birthday, and I wanted him to enjoy himself. Finally, we ended up in the Egyptian room, my favorite! Again, Pat was dragging me all around the room, looking for something, God knows what. I came across a sarcophagus, and was ooohing and ahhing, while Pat was waving frantically for me to join him in the far corner of the room. Whatever it was he was looking for, he seemed to have found it.
I joined him in the corner. Pat took both of my hands and started stammering. Once again, my never-at-a-loss-for-words boyfriend seemed tongue-tied. Finally, Pat dropped to one knee, pulled out a ring box, and popped it open. To this day, Pat imitates the sound of my shocked gasp as it ricocheted all across the Egyptian room!
We hastily left the museum and called my parents. My mother answered the phone. "Mom," I said laughing, "You better run to the store and get Pat a Christmas present. He just proposed to me." From that day on, my mother has called Pat "Son."
Proposal Story By:
Amy Giles
Huntington Station, NY
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