Summary Judgment

Jimanda gets engaged!

So here's how it went down. I finished my law school exams, got drunk, then flew away to Ireland for about ten days. Shortly before leaving (and perhaps while in said drunken state), I decided that I would not return to the States without asking Amanda to marry me. But I didn't yet know when/where/how it would happen.

During a relaxing week of stout beer and constant music in Cork, I spoke with my grandfather who informed me that the magnificent Kelly clan descends from a Youghal, a seaside village on the boundary of counties Cork and Waterford in the south of Ireland. My friend and I drove there on my last day in Cork where I decided to buy Amanda a traditional Irish wedding ring called a Claddagh (you can read about the ring's romantic history and tradition at http://en.wikipedia.­org/wiki/Claddagh_Rin­g).

The idea was to buy something to honor our family traditions, and something that has a multi-cultural feel to it. Also, the ring is fantastically less expensive than anything with a diamond, and I'm still very much a boy on a budget. The ring carries additional meaning for us because Amanda has worn a similar ring nearly every day since she was a little girl, but hers recently broke.

I bought the white-gold ring from a wonderful jeweler in this town where my family's heritage springs, then continued my good luck in a nearby pub where I won my first game of darts while drinking more of Ireland's glorious stout beer!

But that's when the trouble began.

Distracted by thinking about how I would propose to Amanda, I soon became the most absent-minded person in the world. I left my camera at a bar (which was returned), left my wallet in a restaurant (returned by a waiter chasing us down the street) and very nearly forgot to buy my flight to meet Amanda in Scotland. Somehow, I made it to Dublin two nights before I was scheduled to fly to Scotland, my mind fully distracted by my upcoming proposal.

The night before a flight took my braindead self to Glasgow (where I was then to take a train to meet Amanda in Edinburgh), I called Amanda's father and asked for his blessing. He, being a good American man, was in Costco at the time...but said some very nice things to me* and gave his blessing. (* Amanda still interprets his comments as "well, Amanda can't do any better than you, so you have my blessing.")

The next morning, I flew to Glasgow. I stumbled around the airport for a good hour, trying to convert Dollars or Euros to Sterling so I could buy my train ticket to Edinburgh. After finding the right train, I arrived in Edinburgh more unprepared to be in a new city than ever before. I didn't know the name or address of the hotel, didn't have a map or guidebook...I didn't even know if the train I had just taken had traveled east or west! But I did know that the ring was in my pocket, and very soon, Amanda would be my fiancee.

I got off the train, called Amanda who talked me through the directions to the hotel and walked a steep, uphill mile to the hotel, all the while, thinking about how much I had missed her over the last week and thinking about when and how I would propose. It wasn't until I was going up the stairs in the hotel lobby, thinking about what an odd job hotel porters have that I realized....wait a second....shouldn't I have more in my hands? Why is this staircase so easy to navigate? WHERE THE HELL IS MY LUGGAGE???

That's right...I left it on the train.

Amanda and I had a smoochy, though brief, reunion which quickly turned into frantic phone calls to the train station, a brisk walk back to the station, a struggle to understand the blue-collar Scottish brogue, then, finally, the recapture of luggage.

When we returned to the hotel, I immediately began trying to convince Amanda to walk with me to the castle atop a mountain in central Edinburgh, where I had decided to propose. It wasn't far, in fact, we could see it from our hotel room window. However, she was tired from her redeye flight and suggested a quick nap before doing anything. We laid down on the bed together and I immediately became overcome with emotion. I was nervous. My body trembled and my heart beat like I had just run a marathon. I hadn't seen my love in more than a week and I knew sometime very soon...I would ask her to become my wife.

"Jim, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied.

"Sweetie, are you sure?"

"I'm just so happy to see you."

But my nervousness continued unabated, as did Amanda's concern for me. I realized that there was no way I could attempt to play it cool any longer. I asked if she was ready to get her gift from Ireland. Amanda, always a big fan of presents, excitedly said yes. I moved my bag to the side of the bed, where Amanda was sitting and knelt down, as if to lift something heavy from the bag. Everything moved in slow motion.

"I want to give you something to remind us who we are, where we're from and what we will be together. Amanda, will you marry me?"

The ring.

Tears.

"Of course I'll marry you!"



In the days that followed, we explored the Scottish highlands, visited distilleries (with free tastings!), shared laughter and thoughtful discussion with good friends, and enjoyed shockingly good weather. As if this time together worked out exactly as it was meant to be.

It wasn't until we were back in front of a computer that we learned more about the Claddagh ring. While the Claddagh Amanda had worn since she was a girl sat on her dresser in New York City, the band severed in half, we read the following line on wikipedia:

"Another legend of the ring states that if you are wearing the ring on the right hand and the band breaks, the person you are with is destined to be your true love."

posted by Jim @ 2:05 PM