The Luckiest Guy in the World November 8, 2007

I’m Mike from I Got Nothin. You might know me as the guy who defended M’s right to keep the Patriots garbage can. You certainly know Molly. And you may or may not know me as Molly’s boss. At least for a little while longer.What you probably don’t know me as is Renee’s husband. And, well, hey, anything wedding/engagement related is pretty popular in these parts, so I’ll do my best to keep that going until Clink returns.

So, here is how I became the luckiest guy in the world:

Renee and I knew each other five years before we started going out just prior to our senior year of college. We lived in the same area and met while working the same summer job. I went to school in New York, she in Vermont. We graduated and got jobs in each location. Hello long distance relationship.

I knew Renee was the one before we started going out. I’m not sure why. I just knew. So the engagement was just when, not if. And when became about a year after we graduated college. I had purchased the ring before and had even asked her dad for her hand. I can’t help it. I’m as traditional as they come.

We made plans to be home in Connecticut for a summer pops concert in the local park. That was on Saturday night. On Friday, I had said that I wanted to go to the beach and just hang out. She was fine with that. More importantly, it was no surprise. We loved going to this beach and just walking along, especially at night. That was the best time to go.

So, we meet at my parents’ and head down to the beach - in my Chevy Chevette. I know. I know, but it was four wheels and an engine.

We get to the beach and we are walking along on a gorgeous clear night. Just talking. Holding hands. Feeling good. And, well, a little nervous. We would normally walk to the end of the beach, but knowing what was to come, I sort of stopped us short just to admire the dark ocean.

Then I reached into my pocket, pulled out the ring and completely surprised her with my proposal. After a bunch of hugs and kisses, I was like, “So is that a yes?!” It was.

As we were walking back from the beach, Renee was all excited. She wanted to tell her parents. And she really wanted to talk to her sister, who lived in Florida. By this point, we were coming off the beach and there’s a yacht club nearby. Outside the yacht club was a limo. I was like, let’s go ask the limo driver to use the phone. I’m sure there is one and he wouldn’t care.

Not realizing I just fed her a line, she started toward the white stretch limo. And as she got closer, the driver simply said, Congratulations. Yup, I arranged the limo. I had another couple go to my parents, ride the limo down and then take my car back to my parents’ house.

So inside the limo was champagne, a rose and a card. She was beside herself. We enjoyed champagne while taking a nice ride around the beach area. I can’t wait to tell my parents, she said. Little did she know…that when we arrived back at my parents’ house, her parents were there waiting. I had arranged for them to come over so they could be there, along with my parents, and we could all celebrate the engagement together.

We’ve been married 13 years. Pretty cool, eh? That’s how I became the luckiest guy in the world. And still am.