Guardian Homepage: https://www.theguardian.com/
Written by Michael Segalov, from the story of Toby, 35, sports commentator, London.
Being a romantic at heart, I’ve always known that I’d want to make an elaborate, romantic proposal. I’ve been with Claire for nearly four years, and I decided I wanted to marry her quite early on.
She loves the royals and all things historical, so one evening I Googled “Where was the Queen proposed to?” Turns out it was Balmoral. I got to work putting a plan together and booked a surprise trip to Scotland for 1 April. As the date edged closer, the coronavirus situation worsened. I was determined it would happen, but then Balmoral emailed: our visit was off.
I had no intention of proposing in the living room when I woke up that morning. Claire was trying (and failing) to use an app to learn how to count to 10 in Italian. I told myself: if she manages to do it, I’ll propose. Eventually she reached 10 – and I knew what I had to do.
I grabbed the ring, but my mind went fuzzy and I started to cry. She pointed out that my flies were undone. Yet, somehow I managed to propose.
We called our families as soon as the ring was on her finger and our friends organised drinks on Zoom. Yes, the whole thing is tinged with worry and this wasn’t quite how I’d planned it, but who cares? She said yes.
This story is from a series by Michael Segalov, called Love in the time of corona: ‘This wasn’t how I planned it, but she said yes’, written for the Guardian Newspaper, 12th April 2020.
“Imagine being separated from the one you love. Or stuck with the one you don’t, or being alone? Stories of the heart from behind quarantined walls”
Original Guardian article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/12/love-in-the-time-of-corona-stories-of-the-heart-told-from-behind-quarantined-walls
Guardian Homepage: https://www.theguardian.com/