Re: OtR Philly review (or: Ysobelle is a sneaky bastard)

[Ysobelle at aol_com]

In a message dated 12/16/2002 12:45:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, janweatherman at hotmail_com writes:


> Karen at this point tells us about the fact that marriage proposals at OtR 
> shows are a fairly common request. She then shared her marriage advice about 
> cooking with love and fighting naked. Finally she opened the floor to those 
> who might be inspired to propose. And a guy did! He made a lovely speech 
> about loving a wonderful girl and being best friends and wanting her to 
> marry him, and she said yes!
> After a few minutes of applause, Linford says "I want to see a ring".
> And this is where the sneaky Bastard part comes in. Our discipline-boot shod 
> friend who was sitting at their table pipes up and says "I happen to have a 
> ring" and give the box to him. It is a nice ring, I must say.
> I never did catch who it was that got engaged, but my hats off to them, and 
> to his planning. I had arranged for flowers to be at our table when I 
> proposed to my wife, and I thought that was good planning. This was really 
> good, though.


You know, I saw this header and exclaimed, "No, I'm no--okay, well, yes, I am."

But the sneak award this time goes to David-- for those of you as yet  uninformed, it was our own peace-and-veggies-breathing-deeper David who asked the lovely and diminutive Dana to be his bride. Poor girl didn't stand a chance-- it was a big ol' set-up, and everyone knew but Dana. I knew, Anita knew, Liesel knew, Karin and Linford knew. Okay, the other hundred-or-so people in the room didn't know.

Just as the show started, David slipped me the ring box under the table, hissing, "Hide this!" It seemed an inopportune time to tell the imminent groom-to-be that I didn't have any pockets-- especially none that would hold a fairly large white padded leatherette jewelbox with a drop-dead knockout white-and-yellow-gold diamond ring inside. (He showed it to me when Dana was in the ladies' room; good thing she was gone, too-- I shrieked. Good job, David.)

Having nowhere else to put it, I must admit I was forced to use the only available hiding spot: The Pointy Boots of No Forgiveness. Coming up to my thigh as they do, the only possibly hiding place was in the top of my left boot, securely snugged to my kneecap, under the table. I think I may have to make an addendum to the name, now. The Pointy Boots of No Forgiveness and Marital Encouragement? It bears some thought.

I will admit that while I was one of the more minor characters for the evening, when Karin began talking about her advice to young marrieds, and how people tend to propose at Over the Rhine shows, my own hands started to tremble a little. I wasn't quite sure how they were going to pull this one out. And then, Karin said, "Well, you know, people do tend to do this all the time, so I thought I'd just open up the floor. Is there anyone here tonight who wants to propose?"

By this time, the anticipatory tension at our table was thicker than a Manchester accent, and poor Dana was nearly rigid with shock as, after a moment of silence, David stood up and said, "Hey, Karin and Linford-- actually...."

Dana burst into tears, the houselights briefly came up, and David said some beautiful things about the wonderful woman with whom he wanted to spend his life.

"I want to see a ring!" Linford said.

"Oh, yeah, that's right. Um...yeah, I guess I'm gonna need, hmm...."

"Ooo!" I piped up. "Look what I _just_ happen to have!"

I understand about the Reverend Al Green's smile getting too big for his face, like Linford was talking about at the Ann Arbor show (thanks, Don!). I thought my smile was going to pop right off my face, though for once in my life, I was trying to be unobtrusive. I also think I may have been one of the only people in the room not teary-eyed. Karin, when describing the happy event for the late show, mentioned that just about everyone cried, including her and the rest of the band. Certainly, I think Dana cried enough for any three or four of us, though they were definitely very happy tears. She mostly managed to make them subside into a very happy glow after a few songs, though I put a pile of napkins in front of her, just in case. 

All in all, it was definitely a special show, and one for the books. I took a setlist down, and some notes, and I might write a more formal review later, when I?m not at work. I?m very, very glad I got to share in the festivities, and my best blessings on you and Dana, David. 

Mazel tov!


"Ooo!" I piped up. "Look what I _just_ happen to have!"

I understand about the Reverend Al Green's smile getting too big for his face, like Linford was talking about at the Ann Arbor show (thanks, Don!). I thought my smile was going to pop right off my face, though for once in my life, I was trying to be unobtrusive. I also think I may have been one of the only people in the room not teary-eyed. Karin, when describing the happy event for the late show, mentioned that just about everyone cried, including her and the rest of the band. Certainly, I think Dana cried enough for any three or four of us, though they were definitely very happy tears. She mostly managed to make them subside into a very happy glow after a few songs, though I put a pile of napkins in front of her, just in case. 

All in all, it was definitely a special show, and one for the books. I took a setlist down, and some notes-- and some sketches!-- and I might write a more formal review later, when I?m not at work. I?m very, very glad I got to share in the festivities, and my best blessings on you and Dana, David. 

Mazel tov!

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