You Always Say Your Name, Like I Wouldn't Know It's You

It was December, 2002. I was going to my cousin's wedding because my Brother and Dr. SIL couldn't make it. It was a Saturday night, and I had a "poker game" to play, but I gave in to my Mom's insistence that I go. As I was walking to my seat, I saw a familiar face, one I hadn't seen in 3 years. Why would she be at my cousin's wedding? I thought.

Before dinner, I went to sign in book to check names. "Looking for me?" I heard a familiar voice ask. It was the girl I had used to date "Actually, yes." It turns out my cousin was marrying her best friends younger brother.

We talked and danced a little that night. I still had the same phone number. She called soon after. A few weeks later we would meet at a Tim Malloys show. We had our "first date" on Valentine's Day 2003.

Fast forward to August, 2006. I had just been notified that I had gotten a job with the Minneapolis Police Department. I went out that week and got a ring. I held that ring for 2 weeks. I finally asked her if she was coming home after work that Thursday. "I'm going to make hot dogs on the grill." Sure, she said, I'll be home.

I wasn't going to make hot dogs. I was going to leave a series of notes leading her to meet me at Olive Garden, the only place we could afford to eat out at the time. I would propse thre, and she'd be happy, etc., etc.

On Tuesday, she said, "Hado is home from North (or South) Carolina. Can she come over and eat with us on Thursday?" Hado is the person who first introduced us, and one of The Affiliate's best friends going way back. "Sure, no problem," I said through gritted teeth. All of my plans, ruined! Now I know how supervillians feel when Batman comes along, or how God feels when he looks at his followers.

Wednesday night, I went in the bedroom and opened the top drawer, where the ring had been kept those 2 weeks. "What are you getting out of the drawer?" she asked from the other room. "Nothing," I replied. "Is it a sex toy," she inquired coyly. "Kind of, was my retort. She came in the room.

"Danielle, will you marry me?" "Oh my god! Yes! Oh my god."

(In the other, "clean" version of the story, when she asks what it is, I say it's an engagement ring, and she says yeah right. That's the better story, but I went for truth here.)

Tomorrow, she'll marry me. She had always wanted 06/07/08, and I was able to give her that, at least.

Thank you Danielle, for marrying me . I love you.