The Pathetic Proposer

The other day, I answered the phone, which is always a risky ordeal as you never know what you are going to get (see The Danger of the Telephone). 

This phone call was from a very concerned man. He wanted to know about the exchange or return policy we had on our jewelry. 

I told him that we offer a seven day warranty on most things in the store to allow our customers time to take the item home and then test it out to make sure it is working properly, but as jewelry is a fairly straightforward you-see-what-you-get kind of deal, we do not usually offer any sort of return or exchange policy. This is partially due to the fact that people are often shifty creatures and there have been a certain number of people who have bought diamond jewelry from our pawn shop, swapped out the genuine diamonds for cubic zirconium, and then tried to return the fake diamonds under the pretense that they were still real. Similar idiots have swapped out the real diamonds we sold them for fake ones and then claimed that we sold them artificial diamonds. It's a crazy world we live in--mostly due to staggering number of the fools who live in it.

After explaining that we are not able to return jewelry, I assured the man that all of our diamonds were genuine and we'd be happy to answer any questions he had about any specific piece of jewelry. The man, however, was not concerned about being scammed into buying fake diamonds. He was worried that he would be stuck with an expensive engagement ring with no way of getting his money back if his desired fiancée turned down his proposal. When he explained this, his voice was shaking and the terror and vulnerability in his voice were prominent. 

Now, I like to think that when it comes to the point that I am going to ask for a woman's hand in marriage that I will be very certain that she will answer in the affirmative. I would never propose if I wasn't positive that she would say "yes" and I think most men are that same way--if we are accurate in our assumptions or not is another story that is neither here nor their. My point is that why would anyone buy an engagement ring if they weren't sure it would be accepted?

It was ridiculous, pathetic, and heartbreaking all at the same time. It makes me wonder what kind of relationship this man had with this woman. I'd also like to know if he ever proposed and whether or not she accepted. I should have given him my phone number so he could have given me an update.