It was around 5pm or so on a weekday when this guy calls me and tells me he has had an ‘interesting’ day at work and would like to go on a walk to clear his head if I’m up to it. To be honest, I was really tired, but he sounded like he really had a bad day so I obliged.🤷🏽♀️ He said he was coming to pick me up and we would drive to a park he had ‘discovered’ some weeks before (which he had told me about) and then take a walk there. The ‘park’ itself was on top of a hill, overlooking the Bay Area apparently so we walked to the top. We still had a few feet to go to get to the very top when this guy started panting quite loudly 👀, he then points at a bench for us to go sit so he could catch his breath. All this while, I was throwing shade at him that he was unfit for panting because of ‘just a little’ hill climb.🙄 I got to the bench and sat, and turned back to see where he was and he was on his knee. I didn’t catch on 👀, I was wondering what kind of play he was playing (he is a lot more playful than I am 😫), and then he pointed at the floor where he had written ‘Tomide, will you marry me’ in colorful chalk … (In typical Tomide Fashion, I had just walked all over it without noticing it 😂) … at which point I threw my head back and burst into … laughter. A cyclist stopped by to take our pictures while Uzo slipped the ring on my finger. #Perfect
My people, come and help me thank God, the stars, our ancestors, whichever you align with. See, Covid had shut down everything. It did not want us to be great. But we found a way! Now, draw closer. Let me tell you a story. As my elders would say: “Bia, ka’m kwo unu akuko.” Let me tell you how I sought to certify being ever around this lady who had captured my heart. It has something to do with chalk and a spot on top of a hill. For many months, we had talked about getting married. We were getting close to our 2 year anniversary and we were very happy in our together space. Knowing this, I employed the help of her close friends to figure out her ring style and size. Shout out to Bukky and Praise. I also had the privilege of being introduced to the parents, in absentia, by her immediate elder sister. Tilewa, you rock! Then, I was lucky to find a jeweler who was very patient and walked me through the 4C’s. To my future bride, I had let it slip that we would be going on a trip somewhere in California. I figured this was a big “Hint Hint!” For a few weeks, I honestly checked everything, from Napa Valley to Half Moon bay. Even San Diego. But each location brought with it the various travel advisories and restrictions floating about due to the pandemic. Thus came plan B which turned out to be the best plan. Between Foster City and Burlingame is a park that we love very much. Seal Point park. We have ridden our bikes there and also taken walks. If you get to the top of one of the hills there, you could look out across the water to the East Bay on one side or look west and take in the landscape of San Mateo. It was here, among the park benches that I chose to make my last stand as a bachelor. So...chalk. On September 21st 2021, I was done with Covid messing around with my plans. I ran (okay, I drove but running is more dramatic) to Michaels and bought all types of chalk. All sorts of colours. Armed with the chalk, I raced to Seal Point Park. There I wrote my proposal on the ground for the world to see. Then I called Tomide and told her that work had been tough and I wanted to take a walk to blow off some steam. Tomide being the awesome person that she was had only thoughts of listening and consoling me on her mind. I picked her up and parked just far enough away to allow my cooked up story from work to wedge well in her mind while we walked up the hill. So, we get there and phew, the chalk is still there. No bird poop. No mischief from passers-by. Plus the park bench was free. It was like, the universe heard me call and agreed that whom I was asking for was worth freezing time for. Tomide sat down and I knelt down...and then I realized she had not seen any of the writing on the floor. She was so engrossed in hearing my tall tale about how hard my day had been. She even thought I was tying my laces. So, I told her to look down and the way she responded made me become the happiest version of Uzo Uche.