The Bandung Proposal

Last year, me and a few friends went for a trip in Bandung, Indonesia. I'd post pictures of the trip, but most of you have probably seen the site in Bandung, so I guess one picture of us would be enough, besides you can see the pictures in my facebook account.

That's Anne by the way, she's my fiance. The picture was taken after we left the church where we went to celebrate The Eucharist that Sunday morning.

About a month before the trip to Bandung, I had this foot reflexology session with Derek Chong, the youth coordinator of Sacred Heart Cathedral. Derek loves his foot massage, and I thought it was a good idea that I got one myself. little did I know that this one hour session would be the longest, most painful, most tortured one hour of my life.

Derek was the first victim, I meant patient. He made it seemed so fun, chit-chatting with me as the blind masseuse rubbed his oily feet. Derek asked me a question

"can you imagine a life without Anne?"

That got me realizing that Anne has been always there for me. She laughs at my stupid jokes, she will always be the one who will give very good advice when I'm dealing with my daily problems. and so much more, for Derek to asked me that question, the guys gave me this revolutionary vision and that I must do something with that state of relationship that we currently have. If not, there will be no more Anne.

I'm a very visual person, for me to imagine the "Anne-less" life was easy, but when I do see the that thought, it's very lonely, and painful, so painful the foot reflexology we had would seem like a joke.

The thought remained in my head for a few weeks, and every time I get to meet Anne, I asked myself "If she's not here today, how would the day be?"
The more I think about it, there more "nuts" I became. Till one day I decided to pop the big question to Anne, but first, I had to get myself a ring.

Picking up jewelery is really not my specialty, so for that occasion I brought along with me Brenda, Mark and Jill. Jill had no idea where we were going when we picked her up from her campus, she stopped breathing for a few seconds when all of us walked into a "kedai emas" "jewelery shop", She realized I was going to pop the big question.

After a few days of searching, finally we got the perfect ring for "The Proposal".

I didn't have a clue what kind of diamond was on it, what carat, what clarity,what market value..... all that was important to me was it was the right size, and it is shiny. So with that, I came, I saw, I paid... Then I went, hoping that I will Conquer.

So the Big day came, we were celebrating mass in this cathedral called Katedral Santo Martinus, which was actually the first cathedral in Bandung, Indonesia. I want to tell you how great mass was there, but we can do that in another time.

As the priest gave the final blessings, my heart was pumping like mad, I was more nervous than anyone in the pews, I had two photographers ready to document the event: Rayner and Cynthia, both armed with their cameras.

I needed a pick-up line to start the momentum, trying to come up with a line for a chick to go out with you would be hard but pick-up lines for a proposal is impossible. no one in the right mind can come up with sweet words in a matter on minutes. It's a good thing I'm not in the right mind. And also the priest was giving a homily about the movie that was currently showing in the cinemas around town, 2012.

He asked the congregation "What would you do if you know the world was going to end?"

So, I borrowed those lines from the priest,I waited for mass to finish, I heaved a great amount of oxygen, I grabbed Anne's hands, marched to the altar, Anne thought we were going to just take pictures at the altar, she didn't have any idea what was going to happen in the next few seconds.

At last we were at the altar (at the side to be exact, there were tourist taking pictures at the front of it) The walked to the altar took a thousand years. I turned to Anne and repeated what the priest asked a few minutes ago, "Sayang, what would you do If you know the world was going to end?".

She replied "Go home lah". It wasn't the answer that I was expecting, I thought she'd say something like "I pray that we'll be together when we die." Then again any answer would do I really didn't mind what she was going to say, then came then next question, the big one.

I got down on one knee, held her hands in mind, I asked "Mary Anne K Baltazar, if I knew when the world will end, I only want to know one thing from you...." By now she knew what was I up to. So, she looked at me and whispered,

"Egn, not here, there're lotsa people around looking at us!"

Again, not the answer I was looking for, but the thing is, I haven't asked the question yet. that was it, I couldn't wait any longer.."Anne, would you marry me?"

Rayner and Cynthia were clicking cameras by then, and I was trying my best to have a good post for them, so hard, that I didn't even heard that Anne actually said "yes". Foolishly I asked the second time. she answered

"Egn, you didn't hear what I said, I said yes bah!" oops..

So there, we're now officially engaged.ever since that day, I've been appreciating every moment that I have with her.

Yes, we fight...alot. but it doesn't mean that we can't work things out, I believe that both of us are still in the process of maturing. If you asked me whether we are ready for this, I'd say we'll never ever be ready for this if we don't face it head on. We all need to be a bit crazy to live life.

Keep me in your prayers as I keep you all in mine.

Till then...