Brandon & Alicia Beck

I had already decided that I would propose the last day of our vacation to Hawaii (Thursday).  So for the week before going, I devised how we would spend our Thursday evening, and called Alicia’s parents to ask their permission.

My plan was as follows: The evening would start off - about 30 minutes before sunset - arriving at the tallest restaurant in Honolulu so we could see the ocean and sunset. I was going to call ahead to the restaurant and have a dozen roses already waiting at the table. 

We would enjoy a fabulous meal with while watching the sunset over the ocean.  After sipping coffee for a dessert, we would relax on the balcony of the hotel and play some cards.  One has to keep in mind that sometimes I can be rather competitive and generally play to win.  Alicia had been commenting about my competitive streak and that she never beats me, so tonight I was going to "let" her win. 

I planned to stack the deck so she would “conveniently” win and on her last card would be a message asking her to marry me.  I was going to wait until she was on her second to last card and then drop something on the floor (where the ring would be waiting) so that when she played her last card, I would already be on one knee with the ring.  It was a perfect plan....

Unfortunately, despite all my planning, I got so excited about proposing and having Alicia become my wife, that after the first day (Sunday) I decided I should rethink my plan and do it that night.  (I decided this on Sunday afternoon about 6 PM while we were going to check into our hotel.) 

I figured I would change my plan as follows:  I would propose before dinner and place flowers on the hotel bed and the ring on the pillow (while Alicia was getting ready for dinner).  Instead of a nice sunset dinner, we would have a dinner at a Japanese Restaurant.  Lastly, we would walk along the beach eating ice cream for dessert. 

But things didn’t go quite as planned. After we checked into the hotel, Alicia decided to lie down for about an hour (Awesome, that way I can figure out how to get flowers).  So I went down to the hotel store, and they had just sold out of flowers.  Then I asked the front desk if they knew of any shops that would have flowers.  They said most florists closed at 5 PM on Sundays, but they would call around and let me know.  (Wonderful... just my luck.)

So I go back up to the room and within minutes the phone rings. (It’s the front desk asking me when I wanted the flowers by) 15 minutes later, the phone rings again. This time it is the front desk letting me know they had called around and all places were already closed, but that they would continue trying for another half hour.  30 minutes later they called again with no luck.

So I decided to scratch the part with the flowers and just put the ring on the pillow of the bed.  (Unfortunately, Alicia is furious because the phone keeps ringing. So after 45 minutes of lying in bed she decides to go take a shower because “it would be pointless lying down for 15 more minutes just to be annoyed by the phone”.) 

Well at least this would give me time to change into dressier clothes and put the ring on the pillow. I do this, and Alicia comes out, takes one look at me and snaps because I have changed clothes and she didn't want to dress up because she was tired.

So now she decided she needed to take yet another shower and change (this time it took almost an hour).  Meanwhile, I decide to rest on the bed without the ring since there was nothing else to do while waiting. (Hoping she gets out of the shower by 9:00 because 9:15 is the last time they hold reservations at the restaurant, and it’s a 15-minute walk to get there.) 

Finally she gets out of shower and wants to lie next to me before heading to dinner.  Of course, we now only have about 5 minutes before we need to leave, so I politely explained that I was tired too and wanted to rest a little before dinner, and asked her to go to the other bed.

Clearly, she did not like this and went pouting to the other bed (missing the ring entirely). So I tell her to lie on the pillow because the hotel pillows are soft and she would be more comfortable. She ignores me and, instead, turns the other way and stares up and out the window with her arms crossed (forcing me to come over and physically turn her over and pull her up to the pillow). 

She FINALLY sees the ring and says…………………………. "I think I'm going to be sick".  GREAT.  Just what a guy likes to hear. After explaining what the ring was and how I wanted to marry her, she says I already knew the answer, and yes, of course she wanted to marry me. 

After that, we did enjoy the Japanese Restaurant and a walk on the beach (getting to the ice cream shop minutes before they closed).

Now we will tell the “real” story… Her story…

First let me set the mood:  I have just spent 21 hours commuting (via coach) from Detroit, Michigan to Honolulu, Hawaii… Despite the fact that it is well after MIDNIGHT, we still need to locate our luggage, pick up our rental car and find our hotel.  After what feels like hours, we eventually arrive at our destination - the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Due to the commotion, I only end up sleeping for about 2-3 hours before awaking to a burst of cold air… (Yup, apparently the hotel air conditioning had gone “crazy” and decided to chill the room to a bitter 56 degrees.)  But, it is already a beautiful day in Hawaii, so - despite the lack of sleep - we begin getting ready to explore the island of Oahu.

We spend the next 6 hours sightseeing and baking in the warm Hawaiian sun before grabbing our belongings and moving to yet another hotel.  Upon check-in, I am completely exhausted and decide to lay down for about an hour before dinner.  But to my dismay, the stupid phone won’t stop ringing.  After the fourth phone call, and some heated words with Brandon, I give up and decide to shower and get ready for dinner. 

Since Brandon had mentioned that the first night would be a “casual” dinner… I slipped on a t-shirt, skirt and sandals and emerged from the bathroom to see Brandon wearing black pants, a formal shirt and dress shoes.  I inquire about his attire, and he tells explains that he “thought it would be nice to dress up for dinner.”  I am beyond irritated at this point, and return to the bathroom to change my clothes, yet again.

Fifteen minutes later I emerge from the bathroom AGAIN, to find Brandon lying on the bed watching ESPN sports highlights.  So I lay down next to him… which is apparently a big mistake. Brandon explains that it is “way too hot” and he was “way too tired” for me to lie next to him, and that I should go lay on my OWN bed. 

Needless to say, I am a bit flustered at this point, so I don’t respond immediately.  Consequently, Brandon becomes impatient and physically shoves me off of the bed.  At this point I am furious and ready to catch the earliest flight back home, so I get up and throw myself on MY bed, face down… But Brandon won’t stop.

Apparently, according to Brandon, I am lying on the bed the “wrong way”.  He tells me to turn around, so I flip over and stare angrily at the ceiling (determined not to look at him).  He is still insisting that I am not lying in the bed correctly… so he comes over, physically flips me over and tells me to look up.  Finally I notice the ring box. I am not sure how to respond.  Still confused by the preceding events, all I can say is, “Hmm, what’s that?”

Brandon proceeds to get down on one knee and recite a beautiful proposal of marriage.  Unfortunately, I am still dumbfounded and stare at him bewildered. When he asks what I am thinking, all I can mutter is… “I think I’m going to be sick!”

Now THAT is a proposal story to remember…