Thursday, 28 May 2009

• My $.25 engagement ring

  
  "I love you!" he declared.

  I looked at him stupidly.  It was the first time a boy has told me he loved me.  We were both nine years old at the time.

  "I don't believe you."  My mom told me that you can never trust boys at this age - they are always so fickle. Besides, we have only been going out for two weeks.  Actually I didn't even realize it was our two weeks anniversary until he brought it to my attention.

  "Why not?!" he demanded.  Disappointment, anger, and hurt filled his voice.

  "Because people who love each other get marry."  I rolled my eyes.  My knowledge of love at the time was entirely based on the Disney fairy tales I've seen.

  He looked at me confused and then proposed to me without a second thought.  The way he asked me to marry him reminded me of the time he asked our homeroom teacher if he could go to the bathroom.  It was my first marriage proposal.  (For the record, I haven't received one from anyone else since.)

  I told him that he needed a ring.  Boys are so stupid.  Didn't they know this stuff?

  He walked towards one of those vending machines where you put in a quarter, turn the knob, and crossed your fingers because you never really know what item you were going to get.  He was at $1.50 before he got the ring he wanted.

  He came back with a round plastic case and shoved it in my hand.  Inside was a plastic diamond ring glued onto a silver band. I made him put it on my finger and redo his proposal.

  "I love you," he mumbled grudgingly.

  And at that moment, I thought I loved him too.  Or whatever a nine year old girl thought was love.  I kept that ring on my finger until it rusted and probably would have kept it on longer if we didn't break up a week later.

  *********

  I was cleaning out my room the other day when I found my first engagement ring in a forgotten shoe box under my bed.  The band was completely brown with rust, but the plastic diamond was still shining brilliantly at the center.  For shits and giggles, I decided to put in on my left ring finger.  But no matter how hard I tried to shove it through, it would not get past my middle knuckle.  I guess it was never meant to be.

  I searched his name on Facebook that evening.  His relationship status on his profile reads "engaged."

  
   

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