The Caricature Engagement

Allow me to preface this with...do you ever have one of those days when you just have to be in a bad mood and not have a reason? I was in a bad mood that day.

I digress.

Chris had asked me a few weeks ago if we could spend the day with his mom and dad when they came in this weekend. I agreed--no problem! By the time we arrived, I was a little upset about something pretty insignificant, but Chris took it in stride. He was just quiet but rather preoccupied with a sketch artist sitting out front of the Jewel Box. He kept saying "what's this guy drawing?" My response? I kept walking.

Finally, Chris gets me to sit down and has the artist do our caricature. I think I surprised him by being cooperative at this point... he was planning on having to convince me to sit. The artist guy was nice enough, in a chatty small-talk type of way. About 20 minutes passed and I noticed the whole time how Chris was trembling. He had been so nervous the night before and that morning about his parents meeting my dad. I was getting irritated because I began to wonder if my parents behavior warranted that kind of worry... they really aren't that bad.

Anyway, the artist gets ready to show us the finished product, but reaches into his bag for a second. As he does that, I bend over to pick something up that had flown out of his portfolio. That was the perfect opportunity for Chris to rip out the ring he had SEWN INTO HIS PANTS POCKET to keep from falling out. The artist shows me this FRAMED sketch of Chris in a tux, me in a gown, and Chris placing a ring on my finger! Shocked and totally confused, I see Chris on his knee, grabbing for my hand. I was totally stunned. It was this slow motion, surreal, oh-my-gosh-this-is-everything-I-have-waited-for, he's doing it right now. But apparently I didn't respond immediately to his proposal. I don't remember him having to ask twice because inside I was screaming, "OF COURSE!! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING!"

Then he explains that he had hired this artist a month ago, sent the guy pictures of us and basically commissioned him to do our proposal picture. I didn't even notice that photos of the two of us were missing from all over his apartment. Then, as if that wasn't enough, he hired the guy's wife to take pictures of the whole thing. To demonstrate how astute I am, I didn't even notice the fact he had stolen my Canon camera with telephoto lens out of the closet to give to this person to take pictures. She wasn't hiding in the bushes or anything, I saw her the whole time. I just thought she was a student out taking pictures on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

We have 2 rolls of film of this event and it was the best money he ever spent, aside than on the ring. Then he tells me the huge white stretch limousine that had pulled up was waiting for us. Finally, reality is setting in and I am sobbing and hugging everyone from Chris, the artist, his wife, limo driver, spectators/strangers. We get in the limo and I start asking all the questions regarding his plan. We drive for a bit and I make a couple of calls to my mom and my best friend, and we decide to do what all newly engaged couples do the day they make it official...went to open houses.

We never ended up getting a house that day, but I don’t care, it was too perfect to complain. I'll never live down being a difficult proposee. Now the fun starts, guest lists, dress, honeymoons. I don't want to wish it away because this is the time every girl dreams of. At the same time, I can't wait to start my life with Chris.

Oh, and the significance of the caricature guy goes deeper than the story I just told...before Chris and I started dating but after we had met, we were at the Taste of Clayton with some of my friends. My girlfriend and I had eaten our way through all of our money so we hit up Chris for cash to go get something to munch on. On our way to fetch food, we got sidetracked at a character artist and used all our money to get our portrait done. Chris was expecting beers and lunch...what he got was a drawing of me and Amy. He just laughed and ended up hanging it over his fireplace where it sits to this day. Isn't he wonderful?

Thetis Efstathianos