I'd performed my 1-man play on abolitionist John Woolman (www.RichDrama.com/AClearLeading) in his hometown that afternoon, and we got a late start to get back to the city for the very last boat ride of the season. Ryan Myers had picked up the ring for me after it was sized. When we got to The Lamb's on Times Square I sprinted to his room on the 6th floor. He wasn't there. Sprinted to the lobby: "Where's Ryan?!" "Fifth floor." Sprinted to the 5th floor, got Ryan, sprinted to the 6th floor, got the ring, sprinted to the lobby, hopped in the car, where Joyce was sitting and risking getting towed. Drove her home, took a left. Joyce asked why we weren't taking a right to get to her place. "Want to go for a walk?" She was keen enough to know something was going on and acquiesced. We took a very hurried stroll through Central Park at night. When we arrived at The Boat House I asked if there were any gondolas left for the evening, then whispered to the hostess that I had a reservation. By that point we had about 10 minutes left before the next reservation started. Almost as soon as we pushed off I pulled out the ring (which she'd felt in my pocket when we sat down next to each other), got down on a knee and asked her, "Will you follow me wherever the Lord leads us?" There was more to it than that, but that's as much as either of us can remember. Then I pulled out the dozen roses Cindy Dupree and Mac Nelson had hidden under a blanket to start the romantic (yet still chaste) part of our friendship. The next day I showed up with another dozen to symbolize all of the romance I was holding back until we were both certain the Lord was calling us into a life-long covenant.
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