When wonderful things happen, I like to write about them. Actually I prefer to shout about them on rooftops… but I’m rather afraid of heights, so writing becomes a safe and efficient alternative.
I’M ENGAGED!!!
It’s true. Remember that guy I mentioned who was always taking me out to new restaurants and new island attractions so I could put them in my blog? Well, he asked and I said yes. AND because he knows me so well, he did it in a very unique way.
He offered to take me to a talk-story demonstration, an event that tells the history of our island in story form. These talk-stories used to be the only form of our history many many years ago before the written language was used on our island. Today, some of the locals learn these ancient stories to tell them to our generation and the next so they won’t be forgotten. They are such an important part of our culture and, as a history lover, I simply can’t get enough of them! This demonstration was supposed to be for tourists, but he had something else in mind.
Apparently, my boyfriend (now fiancée) had a chat with the storyteller a day or so beforehand and they struck up a bargain. So, at the end of the story, after the applause was over, the storyteller announced that he had one more short story to tell. And he began to tell an epic story of love involving a princess and a very undeserving servant boy. It was an enchanting tale, but I’d never heard it before. As I sat enraptured with this lovely story, my husband-to-be pulls out a ring. And the story’s climax went something like this:
Storyteller: “The servant boy was willing to give up everything for his princess, showing her his deep love and affection by presenting her with a ring…”
(And we ended up under a spotlight and my boyfriend had the ring out and was on one knee.)
Storyteller and my boyfriend: “’Do you love me princess?’ asked the servant boy. And the princess answered…”
(Then everyone looked at me. I looked at my boyfriend. I nodded.)
My boyfriend (the storyteller let him take it from there): “Then will you marry me, my princess? I might not have much, but I will love you more than any other man ever could.”
Of course, you can imagine the rest. There was affirmation, kissing, clapping from the audience, and a laughter-filled ending from the storyteller when he informed the crowd that the servant boy’s story was not an actual historical event… in case they couldn’t figure it out already.
So, I write this as a happy woman who apparently is too much of a chicken to shout from high places. And I encourage you to attend a talk-story session the next time you visit Kauai. You never know what might happen!
