...a romantic proposal.

(Note: Story best read while listening to Pachelbel's Canon in D Major)

The breeze softly played with her hair while humming a beautiful tune. Indeed, the place was aptly named - Orioles Singing in the Willows. Dangling willows are swaying graciously in harmony with the wind.

She smiled and sneaked a peek at the man who is strolling along beside her. He was staring ahead deep in thought. It was one of those times when words need not be spoken.

They stopped and sat on a bench overlooking the wide west lake. Both gave a sigh... she out of contentment and he...?

Suddenly, he took hold of her hands. Looking into her eyes, he said poetically, "There comes a time when a man will take a chance and take a wife. The time has come... will you take the chance and marry me?"

For a moment, time stood still. There were tears in her eyes. Was it tears of joy?

Wait a minute... she is laughing hysterically!!

"The 'poem' is funny," she thought to herself, "how sweet of him to have taken the effort to do this." And then she blurted out the wish that every woman dream of, "Just like that...? No ring kar?"

Before she can bat an eyelash, he whipped out a thick black book from his huge knapsack. 'The Complete History - Poems - Shakespeare' appeared before her very eyes.

Taking the book, she opened it to find all the pages glued together except for the page it fell open to. In the centre was a not-so-neatly cut hole, made out of the glued pages. Inside the hole was a small scarlet satin cloth. Inside the cloth were tiny little shells. Buried in the midst of the shells was a sparkling diamond ring.

It was the ring. The ring she had been waiting for all this while. The ring and the man beamed and stared at her, waiting for her to make a move. Overwhelmed by what is happening to her, she could only stay still, not daring to stir lest the moment fade away in a dream.

Finally, he took the ring and put in on her finger. The act symbolised the beginning of a promise to love and cherish her for the rest of his life.

In a whisper, she asked him to repeat his 'poem'.

"There comes a time when a man will take a chance and take a wife. The time has come... will you take the chance and marry me?"

"Yes, I will."