engagement

So we were sitting at the Frisch's big boy, me, my sister and our boyfriends. It was probably about 730, we were on our weekly date. I think my sister's boyfriend brought Chuck along the first time because he was nervous about courting my sister, Karyn, who had big knockers and long brown hair. I was tall, thin and did not at all belong in the Midwest and knew it, knew it like I knew what color my eyes were. All I had was my wits, and that was not a virtue for a teenage girl in Hamilton Ohio.

So anyway we would go to the same restaurant, scrape together allowance and babysitting money -- Chuck worked at an actual job, so I always ate ok.

This night we were sitting by the window, and there was a couple across the floor from us. I noticed him doing something -- earnest -- you know. And I said, to amuse myself mostly, "look, he's asking her to marry him." So Chuck and Karyn and Greg turn around as craftily as they can. They're angled so they can pretty much see what I see.

The man is leaning forward over the table, holding her hand their elbows nearly touching, and I'm narrating my imaginary version of the events. She blushes on cue, it all fits into the story, and then she -- well, she doesn't eactly shake her head, but the look is no.