Third Thursday Ogden: Yuletide Cheer

Adventures Of Ogden – Man of the Suburb

Minnesota’s tallest building is the fifty-five story IDS building, in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. At street level of this building, there is a large open area called the Crystal court. In this court, since it is December, near the three-story waterfall, and next to the Minnesota Item Shop there is a very tall Christmas tree.

 

Near and a little hidden behind this tree stands a young couple. It is Ogden and Greta. They have just been to the Macy’s seventh floor display (Ogden’s first time, Greta’s thirteenth) and ten seconds ago Greta’s heart started to pound as she is just now noting a very serious change in Ogden’s demeanor. And very loving words.

 

Tears come to Greta’s eyes as Ogden suddenly smiles and he pulls out a small jewelry box and says “Marry me? Marry me, my wonderful darling friend.”

 

And he takes her hands in his. She smiles too. She has, of course, recognized the Austen movie reference. She knows that it was a throwaway quote (made by herself) from the same movie that had ignited there friendship last spring, but she also knows that in the movie, Emma has no verbal response to this proposal.

 

So Greta simply says “Yes, I will.” And they embrace. And Ogden opens the box, takes out the ring and puts it on her finger.

 

And then they realize that there is a girl, maybe eight years old, standing right near them, looking up at them. And she asks, inquisitively, “Did you just ask her to marry you?”

 

“Indeed, I did.”

“What did she say?”

“She said ‘Yes!’”

“I’m glad. That makes me happy!”

“Me, too” said Ogden.

“Me, too” said Greta.

 

In his pocket, Ogden has mapquest directions to “The Old Spaghetti Factory.” Ogden has never been there, but has learned from Greta’s mother that it was Greta’s favorite restaurant to go to every time they visited her Grandmother in Minneapolis.