The Fabulite Caper or How I was Tricked into Marriage

The Fabulite Caper or How I was Tricked into Marriage

Barbara and I met in college and began dating in the middle of our sophomore year. 

After a while, we became serious and Barbara started hinting at getting engaged.

Getting engaged at that time was a very big deal for the girl. 

She got to show off to her peers her ring by feigning headaches and putting her left hand on her forehead a lot, or by doing everything with her left hand so as to showcase her status.

Since I was working only part-time, and I hadn’t really asked her, I figured we would just go along for a while status quo.

I was wrong.

Keep in mind that I had never formally asked Barbara to marry me.  She just assumed we would.

First came the hints about buying a pearl ring instead of a diamond.  I successfully fended that off by saying when I could afford a diamond that would be the time to talk.  This worked for a while.

Barbara’s mother decided to take a hand.

On her own, she contacted a childhood friend who owned a jewelry store.  He told her about this new sort of gem called Fabulite. Fabulite was the first attempts at CZ’s.  

She brought some sample rings home with her and showed them to Barbara who then showed them to me.

The price was right, about $200 if I remember correctly, but the ring was not.  The Fabulite looked like a milky glass prism.  In short, it was not very good.  I refused to consider it.

I pointed this out to Barbara and her mother, but they were looking at the bigger picture, a future wedding.

Barbara decided to “mention” this to my parents who always liked her better. 

My father had a childhood friend who had a store in the Diamond District on 47^th street in Manhattan.  He called up his friend and sent us down there.

Again let me point out, I hadn’t asked yet.

We got down to the store and he showed us some rings that he thought suited our needs.  Barbara became very excited and picked out one of them.  The stone while under a carat was a good one, and the price was one I could afford.  The ring had baguettes and was in white gold.

The ring decision was made.

The deciding factor in this saga was the Fabulite ploy.  I think Barbara and her mother knew I would never agree to that horrible looking ring.  They shamed me into getting a real one.

I became engaged without ever having asked Barbara.  All so Barbara could fake having several headaches a day to show off the ring to her friends and anyone else she came in contact with.

I am still married to my first wife all these years later.  I have always maintained she asked me, since I didn’t ask her.