By this point, many of you know that Aimee's left hand has a little extra decoration on it these days. I may have had something to do with that. And by the way, if you didn't know, don't be offended. I actually only told two or three people (Aimee being one of them), and then I let the news spread through the grapevine.
So we really should back up a bit for this one. Let's start this story in mid-summer, when I really started to wrap my head around getting married. I was on the Hopi reservation, and I had plenty of time to think about it. But deciding that I wanted to get married was only the beginning. I didn't (and really still don't) know anything about rings, where I should buy one, or which finger they even go on. Thank you, Wikipedia.
I searched for a local jeweler online, since I didn't want to buy a diamond at the mall, and I didn't want to subsidize another assault rifle in Sierra Leone. I settled on a little place in downtown Tucson that has been owned by the same family for over 50 years. The current owner is the nephew of the founder, and is a semi-retired high school teacher. I walked into the shop, and as soon as I told him that I wasn't there for a watch battery, he took me to the engagement ring section. I picked a simple white gold ring with a 28 carat diamond (sorry, no photos available; you'll just have to take my word for it).
Now we can fast forward to the day before the bike trip. I had just picked up the diamond, and I was terrified. It was--without question--the most expensive thing that I have ever walked out of a store with. I had to hide it for 12 hours in a place where Aimee wouldn't find it, but I still could. And that's harder than you'd think. I settled on my sock drawer (I know, a little lacking in originality, but effective).
The next morning, I packed the ring (still wrapped in a sock) in my backpack. And for the next four days, that backpack became the most important object in my world. I guarded it like I was the guy with the nuclear codes handcuffed to my wrist. I think that the back pack was out of my sight for maybe a combined seven seconds on the entire trip. In fact, our ride down to Big Sur would probably have taken half the time, if I didn't need to check the ring three times after every stop. We'd stop for water or food, and then I'd check for the ring, get on my bike, check for the ring, ride ten feet, check for the ring, get to our next stop, and repeat.
I had been planning on giving the ring to Aimee the day after we arrived in Big Sur. I was imagining a sunset, a beach, and a bottle of wine (which I was happy to substitute with the Tito's vodka that we brought with us). But as we rode into Big Sur, I saw the beach transform into a redwood forest. My plan was shot!
Well, not really. I still had the ring, and Aimee had no idea (which was actually a pretty big deal, since I've never been known as a particularly good secret keeper). I figured that I'd just play it by ear, and ask the question whenever it felt right. But I didn't even make it to the end of that day.
After the day's long bike ride, Aimee and I were exhausted. We had just gotten back from a nice dinner at the camp lodge with a couple of campmates that we had met back in Monterey. The sun had barely gone down thirty minutes earlier, and we were already getting ready for bed (Tito's vodka makes an excellent mouthwash).
So there we were, lying in our sleeping bags and talking about the world. It didn't take long for our relationship to come up. We were talking about how it was working out nicely, and we were really happy with where it was going. Then I said, "hang on a second, I have something for you." Of course, "a second" turned into about a minute and a half as I fumbled around the tent trying to find my backpack, and then unwrapping the pair of socks that held the ring.
It was pretty dark in the tent, and I didn't say what I was doing. I just put the ring in her hand, and let her feel what it was. She didn't have to examine it for very long before an "Oh my God!" popped out. I looked up at her and said, "Aimee, I'd like to marry you."
She's still considering it.
-M
