The Proposal

I have no recollection of what I was wearing the day Catie proposed, even though it was less than a week ago, but I do remember she was wearing a pair of army style camo cargo shorts. This will have relevance later on.

I also remember when I got home from work that day I yelled at her for some stupid reason that had to do with a phone call. We both have a fear of the telephone. Making phone calls is often a source of tension in our house. Later when I realized what an amazing thing she was doing for me that day, I would feel like a total ass for yelling at her and consider apologizing. But I never did because the rest of the night I was so freaking happy I didn't want to taint it, and also because I wasn't really sorry for yelling at her, just sorry for making her feel bad, the yelling was well deserved.

So after our little argument we set off to pick up my sister and head to the festival grounds for the opening night of Pridefest. We wandered about, purchased a giant rainbow flag, read about the LGBT history of Milwaukee, and took pictures with the FagBug, after purchasing a DVD of the documentary. Shortly thereafter we met up with Cally, Catie's sister.

Then the four of us repeated the tour of the grounds for Cally's sake, about halfway through I was so tired all I wanted to do was try and go see if we could find seats by the main stage. Kathy Griffin was the headliner and she would not be on stage until after 11pm. My day starts at 5am. There was no way I wanted to be on my feet all night long. So when Catie suggested a walk by the lake I declined. I should have been suspicious right then and there. Catie doesn't usually advocate doing things that require extra walking. After I said no, Cally piped up that she wanted to go to the lake too, in a tone that left no room for argument. That probably should have tipped me off. Instead I just followed along feeling puzzled by everyone's obsession with walking by the lake.

So the four of us are walking when we spot a stage with some belly dancers. So we stop to watch a bit. I'd never seen a male belly dancer before. Then we continue on our way when I declare I have to go to the ladies room and split off from everyone. Poor Catie. All this time she is just trying to steer me towards the damn lake. Apparently after the bathroom break she gives up, because we are walking on path through a grassy area near the children's play zone, and still not by the lake when she stops me and somehow maneuvers me so that we are facing each other instead of side by side. And not for the last time I ask, "What are you doing?"

So she leans in for a kiss and I give her a nice chaste little peck, we are in public after all and my sister is 4 feet away, and then I try to turn and continue walking. But she stops me with her hands on my arms and again, "What are you doing?"

Her hands glide down my arms and she says, "Relax," and for a fleeting second I'm annoyed because I think she is about to pick an eyelash off me. Random much? Not really. I lose them with alarming frequency and she always spots them and plucks them off of me at random times. But we are in public, and i've told her before no picking things off of me in public. Its just weird. So yeah, annoyed.

All of this is running through my head keeping me from realizing she has somehow gotten down on one knee without my being aware of it. All I can think is now what the hell is she doing on the ground. Maybe if I ask a third time I'll get it, "What are you doing?"

What can I say. I'm a little slow sometimes.

I'd like to give you a play by play at this point. But I totally can't. Shock destroyed the memory. But I do remember processing that she was holding a sizable ring box that seemed to have magically appeared out of no where, in reality it had been in her giant camo cargo pockets all along. And that inside that box was a really beautiful ring. Which made no sense to me at all. Catie doesn't randomly buy me jewelry.

She especially doesn't buy it for me and then give it to me while down on one knee in front of an audience. Oh.

I don't think I said yes at first. I think I might have said, "Oh my god. What are you doing?" Even though by this point I knew darn well what she was doing. There was kissing and hugging and eventually a "Yes, of course." Then there was applause and a couple of "Woohoos" from a group of girls who happened to be passing by.

There was also an awkward moment where I could not remember which hand I was supposed to put the ring on. I had to ask. It was embarrassing. I'd like to clarify at this juncture that I do know which hand it is supposed to be on. But holy hell people, how's a girl supposed to remember something like that when the girl of her dreams has just asked her to marry her?

Tomorrow: Curiousity kills the Cat