He Was Either The Most Romantic Man In The World

Heather had been dating Ben for a little over two months. She quite enjoyed his company but was beginning to realize he was not the man for her. She wasn't so much physically attracted to him as she was entertained by his offbeat sense of humor and his sense of the ridiculous. They'd had some great times together but she was contemplating giving him the "let's just be friends" speech.

On the night of her twenty-eighth birthday, Ben told her he had something special in store for her. Heather felt a twinge of discomfort but told herself she was overreacting. Ben tended to over-dramatize ordinary events, which was part of what made him fun. They enjoyed a fabulous dinner at a beautiful restaurant, then returned to Ben's place so he could present her with his gift.

Heather was amused to discover that Ben had set up a treasure hunt in his apartment. In each of the rooms he'd planted objects containing small folded notes. On each note he's written an obscure message which would lead her to the next clue. Ben pointed out the location of the first clue, then left her to discover the rest.

Heather's anxiety began to mount as she reached the sixth clue. She found it in Ben's walk-in closet, just after she stumbled across three long dart blowers hidden behind his clothes. She'd already noticed the gun cases under the bed. At that moment Ben called out from the living room, "As soon as you find it, I'll shoot us!" Her imagination went into overdrive.

Two minutes later she found the box. It was large and beautifully wrapped. Inside it was a smaller box, and inside that one a third. When she opened the fourth box she saw the diamond ring. Heather was stunned.

By now Ben was beside her. He looked at her face and decided she was overcome with gratitude. "You don't have to say anything now," he murmured. "Just nod if you want to marry me."

Heather calculated her chances. Did he have any poison darts handy? Could she reach the front door before he opened a gun case? No, she decided. She'd have to tough it out.

"What on earth possessed you to buy this for me?" she demanded.

Ben hesitated but quickly recovered. "It doesn't have to be an engagement ring," he backpedaled. "Just accept it as a birthday gift. You can always change your mind later."

"But I can't accept something like this," Heather explained. "I can't stand wearing jewelry."

Ben was so caught up in his fantasy that he hadn't noticed the blatantly obvious. On both counts.

Heather was relieved to discover that the only shooting Ben intended that night was with his camera. But the celebratory mood was over and she left shortly afterwards, minus the ring. She didn't go out with Ben again.

Have you ever miscalculated with a gift? Perhaps not as blatantly as Ben did but there may have been times when you gave the wrong thing to the right person or the right thing to the wrong person. And then wondered why they didn't seem particularly grateful.

Gift giving involves thought and a certain amount of premeditation. If you don't know what to buy, ask. It doesn't have to be the person himself (or herself); you can ask their father, mother, sister or best friend. Just make sure it's someone who knows them well and can tell you what they would like. And don't count on someone's response on a previous occasion. Many people won't tell you if they don't appreciate a gift in an effort to spare your feelings.

Putting thought into your gift selection is usually worth the effort. And perhaps the best thing about receiving a gift you love is the feeling that the other person knows you so well that they knew exactly what to choose.

© Marguerite Bonneville

Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She is a contributing writer at http://www.romantic-gift-ideas-online.com, a resource site dedicated to helping visitors find the perfect romantic gift.

Latest News


ABC News
Lawyers: Hudson in-law angered by wife's dating
The Associated Press - 12 hours ago
CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors allege Jennifer Hudson's estranged brother-in-law killed three family members because he was angry the singer's sister was dating ...
Video: Hudson In-Law Charged With Killing 3 Relatives AssociatedPress
Hudson Murder Suspect Angry Over Wife's Dating Mom Logic
'Jealousy inspired Hudson murders' The Press Association
ABC News - MTV.com
all 2,266 news articles

Canada.com
Westwick and Szohr Dating?
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 8 hours ago
There's a new couple on the set of "Gossip Girl" -- Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr are reportedly dating. Westwick was rumored to be involved with actress ...
Gossip Girl stars smootch at airport phillyBurbs.com
New couple on the Gossip Girl set? Canada.com
all 14 news articles

SNAP Interactive Expects Fourth Quarter Revenue to Exceed $900000
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
Incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in New York, SNAP Interactive, Inc. is a leading provider of online dating applications for social networking ...

SanFranciscoSentinel.com
Recession dating, as much art as science, but its official, the US ...
Examiner.com - 18 hours ago
But the nonprofit NBER has been dating recessions since 1929, and has generally become accepted as “officially certifying that a recession has begun. ...
Video: Money Minute: Recession, Paulson, Oil AssociatedPress
Recession Dating: When in Doubt, Wait for a Crisis Wall Street Journal Blogs
Recession Dating: Some People Are Going to Be Surprised RGE Monitor
BusinessWorld Online - MarketWatch
all 1,551 news articles

Parents of Murdered Dating Violence Victim, Legislators, and ...
MarketWatch - Dec 2, 2008
NEW YORK, Dec 02, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Today, advocates for teen dating violence education from across the country are coming together ...
Talking About Teen Dating Abuse New York Times
Parents of Murdered Dating Violence Victim, Legislators, and ... International Business Times
Ending teens' 'silent threat' Portsmouth Herald News
all 10 news articles

CTV.ca
Hockey and Hollywood: Sean Avery's dating history and the NHL's ...
National Post, Canada - 14 hours ago
Sean Avery of the Dallas Stars and Men's Vogue was suspended indefinitely yesterday for making crude comments about his ex, 24 star Elisha Cuthbert. ...
Sean Avery suspended for "sloppy seconds"? Ridiculous Chicago Sun-Times
Suspended for Stupidity Atlanta Journal Constitution
Rach Hunter's ex suspended from NHL Stuff.co.nz
The Oregonian - OregonLive.com - Kansas City Star
all 1,512 news articles

Dot Net WWE News - Brie Bella dating a famous musician
ProWrestling.net, MN - 14 hours ago
By Jason Powell Dec 3, 2008 - 10:37 AM WWE Diva Brie Bella told friends at her recent birthday bash in Hollywood that she's been dating former Poison ...

RAW Ratings and Data, ECW Original Pregnant, Diva Dating a Rocker
Impact Wrestling News - 13 hours ago
WWE Diva Brie Bella told friends at her recent birthday bash in Hollywood that she's been dating former Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen for roughly four ...

'Dating scene'
Laney Tower, CA - 43 minutes ago
So, now I am officially on my own for the first time in my life, and in the dating scene. It is Weird! All the people I would hope would be interested in me ...

Rabbi permits double dating 'for marriage
Ynetnews, Israel - 12 hours ago
After Rabbi Shlomo Aviner recently ruled that double dating was prohibited, another rabbi, Ramat Gan's Chief Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, now claims that the ...

Resources