The Princess and The P(roposal)

I don't like long postings on Facebook or Instagram. With our generation's ever decreasing attention span, long posts mostly go unread. However, there are people who enjoy reading. So, articles and blog posts seem like the best way to get your story out there. And, I definitely want to get this story out there.

Fair warning: It is a long read. But, stick with it. It's a good one!!

This is a story about me and my (then) future husband (let's call him Cyril). A little background: We both lived in Seattle at this point, a couple of blocks aways from each other. Our engagement date (an Indian style sagai or roka ceremony) had been fixed (December 14th, 2014), venue booked (Mumbai, India), air tickets reserved, relatives invited, caterer finalized, photographer found, etc etc.

This story starts on November 22nd, 2014 at 4 AM. Yes, 4 in the morning!

My doorbell rings. I open the door to find Cyril at my doorstep. :O Imagine my surprise! My question is (obviously), "What are you doing here?"

His response, "Pack a bag". He proceeds to give me instructions. "Take anything you will need to last a day", "Take some extra clothes", "You won't need a heavy jacket", "Take nice clothes", etc etc. After about 10 minutes or so, I realize he is not joking. So, I pack and shower and get ready; all the while also showering him with questions, but he doesn't answer any.

I wondered why he was doing this. After a few minutes, I realized that it was probably a 3-year anniversary present for me. I was ecstatic! This was so, so unlike him. He is a laid-back (read: lazy) person who hates planning anything! And, here he was. In my house. At 4 in the morning. With a plan!

When we get downstairs, his car isn't there. Which again catches me by surprise! "We aren't driving?", I ask. Instead, an uber pulls up. And, of course, he entered the destination for the uber on the app itself, so I don't even know where we were headed as we sat in the uber.

Once we were on our way, my barrage of questions and guesswork continued. "Are we going on a cruise? Are we flying? Where are we going? When will be back?" He replied with a smile, "I will not be answering any questions, so you might as well stop asking." Not that I did.

Finally, we pulled up at the airport. Even though I was anticipating that for the past 20 minutes (since we were driving in that direction), I was still amazed! The airport! We were going to be flying. When I went to bed the previous night, I was planning a lazy Saturday. And, here I was. At the airport. At 5.30 am!

"Where are we going?" But only when I got my boarding pass did I find out our destination. San Diego. "Oh my god! We are going to San Diego? We are actually flying? To San Diego?"

When we got on the plane and it took off, Cyril turned to me and said, "OK! I had this much planned. But, the rest of the day is open. There are a bunch of things to do. We can just decide what we want to do when we get there." I was content with that. There is so much to do in San Diego. It is going to be a fantastic day, I thought to myself.

The plane landed. He requested an uber and fed in a destination, leaving me confused - once again! "Where are we going now?" He just smiled in response. We got in the uber and a few minutes later, pulled up to Sea World.

And, then it hit me. Dolphins!

I had wanted to see dolphins ever since I was a little girl. But, in my (then) 24 years on planet earth, I had never, ever had the chance to see any. And, here he was.. making it happen for me! I was excited beyond words, eager with anticipation. Dolphins! I would be seeing dolphins! I would finally be seeing dolphins!

While he went off to purchase the entrance tickets, I started talking to a Sea World employee, Carl. Discussing dolphins, of course.

Me: Where is the dolphin enclosure?

Carl: (pulls out a map) Here. 

Me: Oh yeay! I have always wanted to see dolphins! This will be the first time.

Carl: That's great.
*more chatting*
Carl: And, actually, at certain times during the day, there are Dolphin Encounter programs. At the enclosure, with the help of our trainers, you will be able to pet the dolphins as they swim by, throw some toys for them to catch, and, feed them.

Me: Oh. My. God! Really?

Carl: Yes. There is also a Dolphin Interaction program where you can get into the water with the dolphins. And, an instructor teaches you gestures that you can use to interact with the dolphins.

Me: *staring at him with astonishment*

Carl: But, those sell out pretty quickly. I think that program is all sold out for today. You have to make advanced reservations.

Me: No, no. Just the Dolphin Encounter program will be more than plenty. I can't believe this is happening! I have always wanted to see dolphins. And, today I was surprised with a visit here... (goes on to recount the entire morning)

Carl: Wow, that's quite a plan. Flying you in from Seattle and everything. Do you think he is going to propose?

Me: Haha. No no. He doesn't believe in that particular ritual. I think this is my 3-year anniversary present, I think. Anyway, we already have our engagement date set. It's coming up in December. In fact, we are both flying to India in just a few days for it.

Carl: Oh! Well, you never know. All the best!

A few minutes later, Cyril arrives with the tickets. We proceeded inside, and I proceeded to relay what I had learned from Carl. "There is a Dolphin Encounter program at different times of the day, where you can see, pet, feed and even play with dolphins. That's so exciting! We are definitely going for that! Also, also.. there is this Dolphin Interaction program where you actually get into the water with the dolphins and play with them, etc. Isn't that amazing?"

"Really?", he replies.

I prattled on, "And, you know.. He thought you might be proposing to me. Haha! I told him this was my anniversary present."

He smiles. I continued talking away. 

We made a beeline for the dolphin enclosure (obviously!). And.. I saw them!

To say it was an overwhelming experience is actually an understatement! I was jumping up and down, and squealing like a little girl! I couldn't believe that I was finally seeing dolphins. They were swimming around just a few feet from me. I could have stood there for hours watching them.

But, after only a few minutes, Cyril said, "We need to get going."

I looked at him like he was crazy!

"What? Why?!", I exclaimed.

"Because we are signed up for the Dolphin Interaction program.", he says.

"Wh-what?", I stammered. "Are you serious?"

He took my hand and guided me to the check-in desk for the program. While I was still trying to believe this was actually happening, we were given lots of instructions, and wetsuits to change into. The other participants in the programs are all young kids, but I couldn't care less.

The program began. Dolphins are intelligent mammals; the ones at Sea World are trained to understand a wide range of gestures. With a swish of a hand, you can have jumping out of the water and doing a flip in the air. I was completely spell-bound. It was amazing and breathtaking! From never having seen dolphins, I was actually in the water with them. I got to touch them and play with them for over 20 minutes!

As the program ended and we were walking out of the pool, still euphoric with joy, I turned to Cyril and said, "This has got to be the best day ever!"

At this point, the professional photographer (who clicks souvenir photos for the program participants) suddenly said, "Oh, I am sorry. I messed up a photograph of you two. Can you please come back in?"

As we waded back into the pool, one of the dolphins of the program, Dotti, was at the other end of the pool, with an instructor. While Cyril and I waited, we saw that the instructor was placing something in the dolphins mouth. An instructor who was standing next to us explained, "We give them toys to play with. Positive reinforcement, you know." We nodded in understanding.

As Dotti swam over, I noticed that she still had something in her mouth. The instructor says to me, "Why don't you take it from Dotti?"

I was confused. "Is it a toy?" I wondered as I took it from the dolphin. It was travel coffee mug.

"Why don't you open it?", says the instructor.

Still clueless and confused, I open the mug. There is a green roll of parchment. I went to hand it to the instructor, and he says, "What does it say?"

I unrolled it...

"Will you marry me?"

My jaw drops.

Surprise doesn't quite cover it. I was in shock! Dazed. Amazed. Staggered. I didn't know whether to scream or laugh or cry. He had proposed. He had actually just proposed! Through a dolphin nonetheless!

My "best day ever" had somehow just gotten ten fold better! It was absolutely, without a doubt, the most perfect and personal way to propose to me! And, a complete and total surprise!

After more than two minutes of rapid breathing and "Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god." from me, Cyril says, "You still haven't answered."

"Yes", I say, with tears in her eyes. I hugged him tight, totally oblivious to the trainers, photographers, other participants of the programs, and the dolphins we were surrounded with!

After some time, as we waded out of the pool (me still in a daze of joy), I noticed someone hand Cyril a package. Even in my daze, I am surprised!

"There is more?", I exclaimed.

"Yes", he said, and pulled out a crown. He proceeded to place it on my head, go down on his knee and pull out a ring.

"Marry me, princess!"

And, I was crying all over again... a nod is all I could manage.

So.. Somehow, in 2014, in the San Diego, California.. I became a princess.. because I found my prince who made me feel like one!

Pics or it didn't happen?

"Airport? We are flying?"

The Dolphin Interaction Program at Sea World, San Diego

"Will you marry me?"

A post-proposal photograph

Another post-proposal photograph