Fast forward through to May 24th, 1997. We live together and are both happier than either one of us has been before.
It was a Saturday night, and we went to Ed Debevic's
in Northbrook. (Note the Sun Studio T-shirt from
our trip to Memphis.)
The place was good 'n' crowded, and it took half an hour for us to get in. Also waiting to get in,
purely by chance, was one of Amy's students, Kristin, along with a dozen or so friends. Just a few days
earlier, during class, Kristin had started planning our wedding, even though WE had never said anything about
it. It was amazing she was there.
After our waiter, Sharky, took our order, I scampered up to the DJ's booth. (Sharky and Stretch, the DJ, were eager confederates to all this.) Stretch asked over the PA "Is there an Amy Coughlin in the house?" Sharky dragged Amy out of our booth and shoved a portable microphone in her face. I got up to the mike in the booth and said "Amy, will you marry me?" A hush fell over the room, and Amy paused a few seconds, like a stunned deer, before she said...
"Okay"
A dozen high school girls shrieked in glee. I walked back to the table where she still had that look
on her face. She said "Is this for real?" and I said "I just did this in front of all these people..."
We hugged hugely (that's Sharky on the left in the big picture),
and the whole place was filled with applause and cheering.
Not long after that, our dinner came, but strangely enough, Amy wasn't thinking about food, and she let her chicken-fried steak get cold. People came by as they left and congratulated us. Ed's gave us hats 'n' sundaes, and took our picture, including keeping one for themselves.
So that's what's what. No news on dates, so don't ask. Updates will probably be posted in goopy detail.