You Are On My Mind

I Don't Know How To Do It

Danny Reagan was a pretty confident young man. He was a Marine; he was skilled in talking someone in or out of something. He always boldly proclaimed his love for his girlfriend during and after every date. If he was so confident, why couldn't he do this one thing? He sighed and walked into his dad's study. Standing behind a chair, fiddling with invisible lint, he started. "Uh, Dad? How, uh.... how exactly did you, Uh... propose to Mom?"
Frank raised his eyebrows. He wasn't expecting that question. He took his glasses off, "well, I took her to a nice restaurant, intending to do it there."
"But you didn't?"
"No. I was too nervous. I had been carrying the ring around for a little over a month before I finally asked her."
"How'd you do it? Flowers, candies, what?"
The older man smiled. "I actually did it on her front doorstep. We were just talking about what great of a time we had had, and the words 'will you marry me?' slipped out."
"So then you were kinda stuck, huh?"
"Yeah. But I don't regret it at all. Looking back, I should've done it at the restaurant."
Danny nodded, his face set in thought.
"Why do you want to know?" Frank knew the answer. Everyone in the family- the Reagan family and the NYPD family- knew the answer.
"I think you already know," Danny walked in front of the chair and sat down. He pulled the ring box from his pocket and handed it to his Dad.
Frank smiled at it, "nice. Good pick."
He smiled, "I just don't know how to do it. Do I build up to it? Make a speech? Declare my love? No speech? Just up an' ask?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
"But I have to do it this week. I'm going back to that hell hole, and I don't wan' another year to go by with me there fighting and her here getting her RN.... just going through life, you know? I mean... I know I gave her a promise ring before I left, but I want her to have a solid commitment."
"She knows you're committed."
"I know.... I just wanna do this."
"Do it in the way that feels right-"
"She'll catch on. She's smart, super smart."
Frank smiled again, handing his son the ring box. "I can't tell you how to propose. You have to do that by yourself. Just don't say stuff like 'fish or cut bait' or 'crap or get off the pot'."
"Who the hell says that while proposing?.... listen, Dad. Linda's the one, I know she is. I just have no idea how to tell her that."
"Danny, my advice is come up with an opening line. Whether it be something like 'you're the most extraordinary person I know', or 'I wish I could see you everyday'; just come up with an opener, and your heart will take you from there."
Danny nodded, "okay. I can do that. And I'll take her out Friday. And I'll ask her to become a Reagan."
"She'll fit right in. Goodness knows she's not afraid to speak her opinion!"
Danny smiled and chuckled. He couldn't argue with that. "Thanks, Dad."
"Anytime."
The young man stood up and walked into the kitchen. Frank followed, wanting more whiskey. He paused when he heard his son talking.
"How exactly did Dad propose to you, Mom?"
The father smiled and stood at the door, wanting to hear his wife's take on his bumbly proposal. He knew his son would have an elegant proposal. And even if he didn't, Linda would say yes. She would tell him that the bad proposal added to his charm.
Frank knew that, come Sunday, they'd have an extra person at the table. A person who would never fail to make them smile. A person that was the absolutely perfect choice for his oldest son. A person named Linda Rose O'Shea.