some people collect stamps

or

coins

 or

little figurines

My collections are a bit out of the ordinary

I collect memories

and that's another story

One of my favorite collections

 are

proposal stories

I've written often

about those touching

original

 straight from the heart

 creative ways

individuals in love

 choose

 to propose to each other

sometimes

 funny,

yet

 always fascinating

(to me)

It did not take long for Joe

to find out

(while we were dating) 

 that this topic was of interest to me.

Whenever we'd meet a new couple,

 I inevitably get around to the question

"so how did you meet each other

and

 how did you propose?"

 (and no Rob, it was not a hint..)

It still remains one of my favorite questions.

and believe me

I ask a lot of questions

another story

It always floors me

when one party proposes 

and

their partners are absolutely shocked! 

What were these couples talking about the entire time they were dating,

where did they go on their dates?

?????????????????????????????????????????????

 Did they ever attend a wedding together?

Did they celebrate someone else's engagement while courting

 or view a romantic chick flick with each other ?

They must have been
"only children"

or "orphans"

for that matter

not to have the subject of marriage pop up in conversation

Heck, every girl needs to have the

 If I ever ...

or if I ever was to....

sort of dream like ....

discussion

with their significant other
at one point or another
in the relationship

especially concerning the engagement ring,

"Oh someday,

 and I'm not saying when,

if I was to marry someone,

 and I'm not saying who,

 I would hope to have a big round diamond in white gold platinum size 8

light and airy

 conversation

 I'm all for surprises

but not concerning the shape of the diamond I might be wearing for the rest of my life.

..it has nothing to do with the cost....

the guy can handle that deal according to his means,

 but shape and color

you can not leave that up to the whim of the guy

 I assumed everyone had to have a,

 what do you want in a marriage,

do you want kids,

where would you like to live

 what kind of wedding do you want

discourse

or

debate

together

well, that being said

Joe knew that if he ever decided I was the one,
the proposal had to be a well thought out one.

Instead, one day he casually said to me

Listen, why don't you and your mom go see
 Dave, the jewelwer,
 and see if you can find a ring that you like.

I replied

pardon me

what did you just say

Is that a proposal?

Well yeah

if you find the one you want

we will go back together and I will get it for you

I was speechless

and

that's big

I can not believe this

ok, honey

I will ask my mom to accompany me to the jewelry store to look at rings

but when we find one and after we order it

I hope you will try to figure out a romantic way to give it to me

Deal

We found a ring

another story

and it was just a matter of time

(and I did not want to know when)

before he slipped it on my finger

One evening,

 I was over at his house with his sister who lived with him

 and his little daughter.

  One of their neighbors

(someone I barley knew)

invited his sister and I to a tupperware party. 

(of all things)

  I was...
I like to think...true or not..
that I was a big time producer....living in the city...

and
 Joe was an insurance salesman living in the burbs

(Wheaton)

with a van. 

and a swing set in his yard

 We were going to a Tupperware party, how cliche. 

Anyway, that's another story. 

 Nicole and Nancy were watching tv

 waiting for Joe to come home from work

so he could baby sit Nicole

 in order for Nancy and I to go mingle with some plastic lids and suburban housewives,
all of which I had absolutley nothing in common with...

 ( they had been friends of Joe's first wife
whom I never knew, who had tragically died of cancer)

another long story

 

When Joe walked in the backdoor,

 I was sitting on the couch with my back to him,

and Nicole and Nancy were on the floor in front of me.

Joe reached over my head
 and put a black velvet box in my lap

and I said

"No!"

Not now

you are not giving this to me now!

Joe!

Oh Joe

its so pretty

wow

Girls Look at what Daddy bought me

Poor Nancy looked like she was going to cry, and not happy tears.
  Nicole had no idea what was in the box,
 she just wanted to know if her daddy had anything for her,
so she was rather unhappy too when she found his other pocket empty. 

Poor Joe,
had just picked the ring up from the jeweler and it was burning a hole in his pocket...
he couldn't contain himself,
he was so excited,
 he did a bee line to his house to reach his target.

Well,
 minutes later
I was walking into the well appointed home of the lady who lived on the corner
 with a very depressed looking future sister in law
 trying to find a friendly face
 
so I could share my good news
 with
someone,
 anyone
who might be happy about it. 

 

when I saw Joe later that evening

he sheepishly said,

 I know you were expecting some elaborate proposal

so since you are the creative one,

 I decided that you should come up with a fantastic story about how I did it,

and I will back you up!

That will be our proposal story

I actually

 considered it

for an instant

but

 the true story

 is so much better