About two years ago, a friend of mine got engaged to a guy I still find quite intolerable to this day. He was sweet when he wanted to be; at least I’d seen that side of him but the man simply had too much ego for my liking. He openly fooled around with other chicks and even once assumed I had taken one too many beers and found him attractive. It was a slap he will never forget!

Any guy brave enough to get down on one knee and propose to a woman is what I call serious. So, just when I had started thinking that the man was for real after deciding that my friend was the one he wanted to spend ‘forever’ with, he went and confirmed my fears by proposing to her with the hoax of the century.

At first, she probably didn’t notice the swindle the guy hurriedly shoved onto her finger when she said ‘yes’ or maybe she was too excited about the proposal to give a damn. However, being the con artist I always suspected he was, I half expected something to go wrong. I badly wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt but every time I looked at his stupid grin, I panicked.

Things went well that night (too well actually, he didn’t hesitate to tell his mates and anyone who cared to listen how he’d been ‘thanked’ that night for such a wonderful surprise). Who does that? However, my friend’s happiness was short-lived when after she couldn’t resist the urge to show off her new ‘bling’ at work, was told even house helpers did their chores wearing those very rings! 

Boy was she mad! She called me up for backup on his night out with the boys and I was only too glad to go. She threw the ring at him and lashed vicious words at him (the woman has a real potty mouth when she wants to). Attempts to convince her he was going to buy her a ‘real’ ring when he got enough money fell on seriously unconcerned ears. At one point, I actually felt sorry for him. 

Most people tell you that they are not impressed by ‘flash’ and I don’t think a man needs to bankrupt himself with a ring. But come on! If you truly love someone, you will sacrifice and get a proper engagement ring. I don’t care if you need a magnifying glass to see the carat - get the real thing dammit! 

I suppose women are different, but personally, a proposal doesn’t have to be about the ring at first. The fact that he actually went down on one knee and said those magic words is enough – do not kill the magic with a fake ring. Propose without it (if you don’t have the money for a real one just yet) then when you can actually afford something that doesn’t turn bronze after wearing it about thrice, it will be magical all over again!