I had just finished my US Navy training school as a Hospital Corpman in Great Lakes, Il, and had two weeks leave before I was to be transferred to San Diego, CA. Didn’t have two sticks to rub together at the time but managed to save enough for an engagement ring. I picked it out the day I returned home (and had 95 cents to spare). As I was leaving for the opposite coast soon, I was intending to ask Patricia the next day, at a small colonial-style restaurant which was special to us.
Of course, I wanted to make this unique and very memorable for her, so I had set a plan in motion for months to do just that.
While at school, on my available leave weekends, I took the train into Chicago to visit the Chicago Public library to do some research. Over the next few months, I had amassed how to say, "Will you marry me?" in 13 different languages. 13 was our lucky number for it was the day we had our first date, some 4 years prior.
She LOVES accents and the sound of many other languages, and she practically swooned when I proposed to her that way, on the night of the 4th of July. That night, after she said yes, we went out to see the fireworks.
Michael Vanek,
Knoxville, TN
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