The other day I got engaged.
I know right?!
Philadelphia and I have been talking about the possibility of making this thing legal for a while now. We have even talked about dates we might make it legal.
So we are headed down this road. But we are headed without some of the traditional steps. Steps that I want.
God. This is hard to write.
I ask for these steps. I tell Philadelphia, “Are you sitting down? Because this is very difficult for me to ask for. But it would be meaningful to me to have an engagement period.”
Philly nods. “Absolutely!”
2 weeks pass and we go to a jeweler Philly knew years ago. When we get there we find out the jeweler died.
Did I mention that even though February is supposedly over, it was really cold and cloudy out?
We stand there in the cold and cloudy.” “Now what?” I say.
“Hmm.” he says.”
He says that a lot.
“What’s that place, Jewelers Row?” I say cheerily.
“Ok.” he says.
We drive down there. On the way, Philly is mumbling this stuff about blood diamonds, blood diamonds. I am confused since I do not wish for a diamond. I wish for a sapphire.
But ok.
As we are paying for parking he says it again.
I think: Why am I here?
We go into the store anyway.
Everything is very, very shiny. Too shiny. Counter Person with perfect cuffs asks, “Can I help you find something?”
I look at Philly. He doesn’t say anything.
We look around and walk out. When we get in the car I say, “When I told you this would be meaningful to me you agreed. However, you seem to be resistant to this idea, so let’s just skip it.”
The whole rest of the ride is quiet, and even though it’s not that far to our next stop, it’s endless. Each new minute I try to let go of this little girlie dream I have had of getting engaged, the right way. Not like it was with Wuzzy: No proposal, all slammed together. Functional.
Next stop isn’t a jeweler. We stop at Philly’s veterinarian to pick up some medicine for Dog 1. I wait in the car in the parking lot.
Philadelphia gets back in the car and starts to back out of the lot, then stops the car.
He looks at me. He takes my hand and says, “I know I have not asked you to marry me yet. So I am asking now.”
I say, “Is there a question?”
HA!
He says, “Yes!” Will you marry me?”
I say, “I will.”
I am pretty sure the clouds lift.
He spies a green ribbon in the pile of stuff in the car, picks it up and ties it around my finger.
I smile.
Then I cry. I can tell he almost cries. He starts to but something stops him. He halts.
“Let’s go to the other jeweler in the small town I know.” he says.
“Ok.” I say.
We drive to the little town. The jeweler turns out to be a very nice man with a lot to say. Nice Jeweler tells us all about his recent life events as he shows us different ring settings: traditional, curvy funky, twisty, skinny, thick.
At first I like curvy funky. But then I start to like traditional. Philadelphia likes twisty. I feel kind of twisty. I take a harder look at twisty. I look back and forth, back and forth.
“Twisty it is!” I say.
We figure out wedding bands, including Philly’s custom-made Lapis band. Then Nice Jeweler shows us the numbers. Now we have to figure out money.
“We will figure something out.” Philly tells Jeweler. And we walk out. It’s almost evening now, and we can actually see some sky.
Later when we are back at the house we go up to the sacred room. I cannot say more about this room, save that it is a very special place that I am very glad exists.
While we are in there, Philly asks me again. I say yes again. This time I REALLY cry. I think he does a little too.
Less halt, more cry.
The whole night is still and waiting. I look out the window into the night sky and I take a little mind-picture of this moment.
This girlie moment I have been offered.
And I think: Thank you Philadelphia.
Thank you.
This blog graciously edited, contributed to and generally embellished by none other than Philadelphia himself.
Summerhead 