Still figuring out where to ask her the big question and everybody I told has a venue now, like we got a planning committee with no budget. Uncle wants a crowd, Mom wants pictures, coworker said do it on the train, absolutely NOT, I work there. She likes a good dinner and she likes knowing where we're going, so keeping it simple is suddenly harder than announcing it to a stadium. Checked the cricket bag again, ring still there. Obviously. Need to move it before Sunday or somebody looking for tape is gonna get engaged by accident. I got the ring months before I got a sensible plan, very professional operation over here.

My girlfriend came home tired and I was halfway into a whole story about a passenger when she asked could we just sit for a minute. I felt a little tight, not gonna lie, story had a GOOD ending. But she put her head against me so I knew she wasn't mad. We stayed there with the train rattling the window and no TV on, which almost never happens here. I liked it more than I expected. After a while she asked what happened with the passenger and I told the short version, yes I have one of those. She laughed. Felt mad good being the person she wanted next to her even when she didn't want the microphone on.

Sunday cricket, shoulder nice and warm after my spell, the kind where you want one more over just because the arm feels GOOD. Uncle told me save some for next week, very generous advice from a man sitting down. Took my shoes off on the grass after and felt every little bit of ground through the socks, way better than another whole day standing on train floor. I was starving before we even packed the bats. Got to Mom's and ate while the shirt was still stuck to my back, then she sent me to wash up like I was nine. Fair enough. Slept on her couch after lunch, one minute watching cricket, next minute brother got a photo.