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There were a few times over the years I thought a proposal might be coming. Our fourth anniversary, when Max turned back to face me on a hike. Around either his graduation from law school or mine from my MA program. There was a time at the Opryland Resort and Convention Center when I was so sure — we climbed to the top to overlook all the decorations and greenery, Max propped up his phone to take a picture of us. Alas, those were not meant to be. I’d been thinking about it a while though. My friend Rachel and I had been talking about both of our relationships and the likelihood of a dawning proposal for the past few months (we ended up getting engaged within six days of each other). All this to say, I was sure I’d ruin my own proposal by thinking too much about whether or not it was happening. The Sunday it did happen, we had plans to attend a string quartet concert in the Parthenon in Nashville. Naturally, I was a little suspicious that this may be a proposal kind of event, but I knew he didn't have my ring yet, and so I tried not to read into it. He was open with me during the past few months about his plans, but from what it seemed, it did not appear it would be able to happen this Fall as hoped with his signing bonus delayed until he received his bar exam results. Max spent a good 15 seconds before we were to leave the townhouse and head to Nashville selecting a carnation from the bunch he had bought for me earlier that day, which I thought was quite sweet. I promptly stuck it behind my ear and away we went. I haven't told him this part, but I was 90% sure I saw the outline of a little box in his front pocket, and of course I said nothing. Throughout the evening, my 90% would turn into a 75% to a 60% to a 45%. More on that later. It had been a while for both us of since we'd been to the Parthenon, and the final turn that we made onto the road it sits on gave us a straight-on view as we pulled up, which was a little awe-inspiring. I'd also never seen it at night, and the illumination was beautiful. Inside, the quartet was set up at the base of the 40-foot-tall Athena statue and candles lined the floor around all the columns in the room. The quartet opened on "Thriller" and closed with "Hall of the Mountain King." It was really neat to hear the leader of the room talk about the stories and histories of the songs as well in between. They hit on all the famous scores related to Halloween and horror movies as well as some from classical composers. After the concert, we exited and walked around the grounds of the Parthenon for a little while. My confidence that a proposal was happening decreased the longer we walked around to different spots. After changing locations the third time, I was mentally resigning myself to the idea that even if he originally meant to propose now, he’d decided the setting wasn’t working and it would be postponed. It was honestly a little humorous though. Eventually, we found a secluded corner of the colonnade where we both sat down. After looking around as if to check the coast was clear one final time, Max moved to the step below me and pulled a little gray box out. Knowing me extremely well, he pulled lines from both of Mr. Darcy's proposals to Elizabeth Bennett and the absolute best line from “Emma” (if you know, you know). He apologized for not having it all memorized to which I thought “you idiot, why would I care about that.” Obviously, I said yes. Max then showed me the ring and explained mine was ordered but not here yet. I knew he didn’t have the ring! My intuition was still spot on. The ring was from his mother, and I wore it for a month or so before Max proposed a second time — a much simpler affair on my lunch break during a particularly stressful day at work, which did help salvage that day. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

If you want money to buy a ring, law school does not help. The job after law school should, but in the years in between, I was stuck. I hate feeling stuck. So, there I was in mid-October, finally clawing the slime off my feet and moving forward, but having already missed the first date that I had hoped to propose: October 5, 2024, which would’ve been an excellent date. The 10/5 gives 15, and Shannon and I started dating on April 15, an even 5 is imminently superior, and this even 5 would be repeated through the day and the month. All together excellent. Even more, the 15 and the 24 would give 39, which with the 2 would give 41, which (on top of being the reverse of my birth date, 14) would then get you right back to the superior 5! So, 10/5/2024 would’ve been a great date to propose, but I had already missed it. Stuck for too long, now rounding October 20th and risking the entire month I had wanted to propose in. Further, I knew what ring I wanted, but it was from an online seller and would take close to 8 weeks to get in. Being stuck for 8 more weeks grated on my being. All this was stewing variably in the back and front of my mind when I saw an ad for a candlelit concert to be held in Nashville’s Parthenon. They would be playing classical Halloween music. I had seen ads for the candlelit concerts before and wanted to take Shannon, but this was the first time I had the money to do it. So on a whim, I booked for 10/27 on the Wednesday before. As Thursday and Friday wore on, I thought more and more that it would be a great occasion to propose. It seemed a great setting and would still be in the chosen month—though at the opposite end—and 10/27 added to 37, which was a great number, because it not only contained the best number, 7, it contained 3 which makes 10 with 7. Such combinations are always superior. Further, the 37 with the 24 would make 61 (adds to 7), which makes 63 or 81 (depending on how you use the remaining 2 from 2024), which adds up to 9, which is my birth month. Furthermore, the location was fantastic—proposing at the Parthenon sounds exactly like something I’d do. I bet I could convince Shannon I planned to do this in the first place! But I still had no ring. Nevertheless, as Friday wore on, I became convinced that I’d suck it up and propose with a placeholder ring. I would not be stuck for a second more. The absence of the intended engagement ring might lower the proposal in some people’s eyes, but screw them. Shannon deserved to be engaged now; she had been stuck to a stuck entity for too long as it was. Sometime Saturday I’d have to get away from Shannon and buy some inexpensive but presentable ring, use that, perhaps apologize, and then assure her of the ring to come. I called my parents and told them my plan, and then texted Shaun of the intended date.

That Saturday, sitting with my parents, the odds of getting away from Shannon for long enough to buy a ring seemed slim. The nearest town worth much was Cookeville, sitting 35 minutes away (apparently a mere 25 if you’re riding with Jimmy the Pirate). I was wondering if I’d have to try something tomorrow morning when we were back in Murfreesboro. But, my mother approached while Shannon was in the bathroom and asked if I still needed a ring. I told her I did and was beckoned back to her room. Once there, I learned that my mother had a second engagement ring. Apparently, there had been a simple ring present for their proposal and an understanding that they might get a replacement one once they had more stable finances. When they bought the new ring, my mother tried it out only to find that she had become quite attached to the ring that was there from the start. The new ring sat in its jewelry box for decades before being offered to me. Once again, things had just fallen into place perfectly and I became more convinced that I could convince Shannon I planned it this way. The next day, I realized I needed to get her some flowers. To my horror, I was an idiot, and all the local flower shops were closed for a Sunday in the South, and I was left to get this poor girl Walmart flowers. So, I got to Walmart’s measly selection hoping for some carnations, and luckily there were a few, including a bouquet of a pretty hue somewhere around burgundy or maroon. What is that color supposed to mean in flower language? Devotion. Perfect. I could convince anyone I planned it this way. After making sure Shannon picked out one of the carnations from the bouquet to take with us, we found ourselves at the venue with a decent view, despite being relegated to the standing room, and the performers did not disappoint. On the way out of the venue, I stopped in the bathroom to make sure some Jane Austen quotes I had picked out were properly pulled up on my phone. When we got outside of the venue, it was a bit more lively than I had anticipated, but no matter. There should be plenty of places to find a bit of privacy in the area at night. We walked around to the side of the Parthenon away from the entrance, and I was disappointed to see a fair amount of people hanging out along this side. Luckily, I glanced an area of the park close to the Parthenon, unoccupied, and from our vantage point, it looked like there were some benches. I led us that way. As we approached, I became concerned that this was a war memorial. I couldn’t propose at a war memorial! But, it was not a war memorial. It was the suffragette monument. No disrespect to the suffragettes, but they were not quite the mood I was going for. I didn’t want to be down on one knee and wondering if I’m making some kind of weird political statement in the back of my mind. We circled back towards the Parthenon. On the other side, there were fewer people, but it faced the parking lot, which had sparse but persistent flow of traffic. Not what I wanted. We headed to the front, where there was, again, just a few too many people. I led her again to the side of the Parthenon that we had first given up on, just from the other direction this time, and was convinced that I must look like someone desperately searching for a quiet place to propose in her eyes. And there, at the corner of the building, in between two of the columns (I had initially tried to pick a number of the columns that was suitable, similar to the dates, but I was beyond such considerations at this point), I was finally able to make use of the Jane Austen quotes I had selected and of the ring my mother had given me. Shannon didn’t know how little I’d planned until I told her. And for that night, I felt unstuck.