Confused? Well, maybe I should explain myself a little further...
The second of the two proposals occurred on a brisk October evening, between me and my lovely wife. It was a special and unforgettable moment for the two of us... but unless your last name is Addis or Verzon, it doesn't make for a very good blog post.
My first proposal, on the other hand, is 180 degrees different and is something that EVERYONE will enjoy reading about. It occurred 2 1/2 years earlier. But everything I've said up to this point may be a little misleading, as I was merely a supporting actor -- the "Robert Duvall" to the leading "Marlon Brando".
The main character is Damian Kiesling. And this is the story of his proposal.
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| These are the protagonists of our story. |
I never saw it coming. One evening, Damian came to my room and said he was ready to propose to his girlfriend, Whitney. That didn't surprise. Nor did it surprise me when he had something "off the wall" planned out. (That's just who he is.) Rather, what shocked me is that he wanted me to be involved.
Both he, I, and six friends (Jeremy, Evan, Kleiny, Shaun, Gabe, and Lance) were resident assistants at Pittsburg State. In a week, we were going to have our annual North vs. South Resident Assistant Softball Game -- the biggest RA event of the year.
By pulling some strings, Damian got Whitney (a former RA herself) to umpire the game. She would be near home plate the whole game.
While he was batting, he would call a time out. The other seven of us would run to the middle of the field, rip off our shirts, and have "WILL YOU MARRY ME" spelled out on our chests and backs. Then Damian would take care of the rest.
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| Damian had a vision that looked something like this. |
THE OBSTACLES
The plan was looking smooth until the very night before the softball game. While talking to someone, I discovered she knew about the plan. How did she know??? I immediately called an impromptu meeting with Damian and Jeremy. We were in trouble. This HAD to remain a secret, but we knew our backs were against the wall. It was just a matter of time before Whitney knew the plan.
To make matters worse, it rained and rained and rained that night. The following morning, we ventured to the softball field and were greeted by a swamp.
The powers that be wanted to postpone the softball game, but we told them it wasn't an option. We assured them the field would be in pristine condition by 4:00pm. No one could figure out why we wanted to play on that day so badly...
So that day -- Damian, Jeremy, Evan, and myself spent all morning and all afternoon raking the field. It was a daunting task, but we were highly motivated to get it done. The game would go on as planned.
THE PREPARATION
Sometime between all the raking and the start of the game, we headed to the Weede Gymnasium to paint our chests and backs. There's not a whole lot more to say about this process. But it made for some classic pictures.
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| Someone actually walked into the bathroom while we were doing this... It was very awkward. |
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| The paint was cold, but I 'toughed' it out. |
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| This was 'THE SIGNAL' |
THE EXECUTION
Damian didn't want to pop the question immediately, so we waited until his second time through the batting order to put the wheels into motion. He stepped to the plate, and the following ensued:
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| After the game, Damian was awarded MVP honors and was carried off the field in heroic fashion. |
Judging by the "fans" in the video, Damian's proposal was a big hit. The Kanza (the PSU yearbook) actually did a full page story on it, and, therefore, it will live forever.
It's been seven years since the proposal took place, and we continue to talk about it to this day. Damian and Whitney have been happily married for almost six years and now have a beautiful, young daughter.
For me personally -- I'll always feel a little special to have been included in the process. It's a moment I will never forget.
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| Page 172 of the 2006 KANZA |
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