Keeping Count

The marriage proposal.

Some people only see it happen in movies.

Some have witnessed only one or two.

Anyone who’s ever been married has either asked or answered the  
“big question”.  It seems that no matter where it takes place, whether in a restaurant, on the beach, or at the top of the Eiffel Tower, when a guy drops to one knee and pulls out a sparkly ring - nobody is unfazed.
People stop and watch, hold their breath, often cheer after she says "yes".

In my capacity as gondolier, I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count,
and in all honesty - it just never gets old.

Looking back on my twenty years on the back of a gondola, I now wish that I’d kept track of how many proposals I've seen. Roberto of NOLA Gondola has been counting his and I must admit a little envy there. Roberto and his boat the Bella Mae have now played host to just over 250 successful marriage proposals.

I wish I'd had the foresight to keep a count when I started taking cruises. 
I’m sure that several of you reading this are nodding your heads in agreement, having witnessed as many if not more. 
Most of you would probably also agree that it never gets old.

For me, at least, it’s just as exciting as it was so many years ago.

I still empathize with the nervous guy as he approaches and navigates his way through the unfamiliar waters of when and how to pop the question.

Whether you identify with the guy or not, it’s still one of the biggest moments in the lives of both people in your boat.

It’s still interesting to observe and wonder:

Will he get down on one knee?

Will somebody cry?

What's the ring look like?

Did he manage to get a ring that she likes...and in the right size?

Will he be smooth or just trip his way through it?

Will she be expecting it, or totally surprised?

And of course, will she say "yes?"
They almost always do. Almost always.

No matter what - it's gonna be interesting, and it never gets old.