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Dorothy Copus Brush Valentine's Day -- a good day to propose It would be interesting to know how many young
men choose Valentine's Day to propose. Marriage proposals often
strike fear in the heart of a man, no matter how glib or strong
he is. In an earlier day it must have been even more fearful
when the man had to ask the father's permission to take his daughter
as a bride. Not many men go down on bended knee to ask
the question these days. There was an exception early this month
during the Super Bowl when a serviceman in far-off Afghanistan
knelt in the sand with a grenade. Holding the ring from that
weapon he asked his beloved a world away if she would marry him
as millions of viewers watched. She said yes. Over 40 years ago one man gave much thought
to his proposal before he wrote it and sent it the woman he hoped
to marry. Perhaps he was familiar with the words of William Shakespeare.
"Oh, learn to read what silent love hath writ. To hear with
eyes belongs to love's fine wit." Along with the letter he enclosed a $2 bill,
which he explained, "So, I know, $2.00 isn't much of a gift,
but it's the spirit of the thing you know. For two dollars you
could, well, let's see - "How often have you said, 'For two cents,
I'd -' Well, this gives you a chance to blow your top one hundred
times. If you were a Ubangi, $2.00 would buy you enough copper
wire, for bracelets and necklaces, to make you one of the most
beautiful and sought-after women in all Africa. "Two dollars could send twenty-two pounds
of much needed food to Hungary, possibly meaning the difference
'tween life and death to some child. "In the South Pacific $2.00 could get
you six throwing knives and two goats. For four knives, you could
trade for two girls - one for dancing and one for cooking. Then
with the remaining knives and goats you could settle down to
a lifetime of pleasure and relaxation. In your case, I don't
know what dancing men cost, but I'm quite sure you could get
a bargain price on them. "But, instead of all these things, I
think you should buy yourself something that will last a lifetime,
something that will bring you both joy and sorrow, trial and
tribulation. After all, how can we enjoy the better things in
life unless we can contrast them with the worst. I am suggesting
that you take this money and go buy a marriage license. I think
with the proper negotiations you could make good use of it." The woman who received the letter and $2 said yes and enjoyed the rest of her life married to the man who proposed in such an original way. · · · |