It was nothing short of a classic Hollywood love story yesterday as one man stepped in the middle of the thoroughfare in the busy Cross Roads area and proposed to his girlfriend under the golden morning sun.
Unfolding minutes before 8 a.m., the silverscreen episode had police personnel, vendors, busy commuters and the usually boisterous bus drivers and conductors of the notorious Coasters frozen for some four minutes as they all peered on in either amazement or disbelief.
love-struck
But rewind in time to about 7:40 a.m. when the love-struck 26-year-old Olando Lawrence arrived on the scene decked in a white shirt, black dress pants and shoes with a red tie, red bunch of roses and black velvet ring case.
"I hope she say yes," was almost the first thing out of his mouth as he wiped sweat from his brows. "I hope she says yes because if she says no, I don't know what I am going to do. I told her to meet me here before she goes to work but she has no idea what I'm going to do."
Speaking with THE STAR, which was on the scene to witness the Cupid-like experience, Lawrence said that he had known his heartbeat, Stacylee Cole, for 10 years. They have been an item for the last two and a half years.
"She is the one for me. She is the one that makes my knees quiver and my backbone shake," he said. "She has a place in the centre of my heart and this is just a gesture that speaks to how I see her in deep appreciation and love. This is just me freezing a moment for love while everyone is going about their business."
Onlookers figured something was up Lawrence's white sleeves from the second he glanced at the ring in the case and nervously wiped his face, went over to the police sergeant who was on traffic duties and kindly asked him to halt traffic so he could he kneel in the middle of the road. Shortly after, Lawrence nervously wiped his face and scribbled 'yes' and 'no' on a piece of blank paper, Stacylee walked around the corner in the vicinity of the post office and all who were nosey enough to observe Lawrence's mannerisms knew exactly what the game plan was.
"Ah engage him a engage?" one vendor questioned. "Lawd God if a did mi, mi wudda faint, mi couldn't manage," one female commuter remarked as she peered on with an ear-to-ear smile.
Lawrence sent one of his friends across the street to meet the unsuspecting Stacylee. That friend gave her the paper with the words 'Yes' and 'No' written on it and a bewildered look fell over her face. "You are going to need this," the friend told her.
big smile
As the friend escorted Stacylee across the road operation 'marry me' got in full swing. The policeman hoisted his hands and the cars coming from Slipe Road towards Half-Way Tree stopped and Lawrence stepped out from behind the street sign where he was hidden with a big smile and an even bigger bunch of roses.
She froze and he knelt.
Midway through his speech she said yes, he did not get to complete it. He asked her to be his wife and again she said "yes, yes Jesus peace", holding up the piece of paper with the text on it. She was as happy as a schoolgirl skipping home. "I suspect that you were up to something but I was never expecting this," she giggled. "I'm so happy."
With the newly engaged lovebirds flying away from the area, Cross Roads went back to its usual self - hot, noisy and in need of more love.
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