TRUE LOVE AT APPLEBEES

sean, diner

west new york, new jersey

Sean was working construction at the time when he found himself in the rural town of Voorhees Township, New Jersey. Dining options were slim for Sean and the crew, so they settled on one of the only places open: Applebee’s. As it turned out, it wasn’t just open—it was Karaoke Night, hosted by none other than a country-western DJ. After several patrons belted out emotional renditions of “Proud to Be an American,” Sean took a look around at the colorful cast of townies, farmers, bikers, and other assorted characters packed into the restaurant. Then, things took an unexpected turn. The DJ suddenly grabbed the mic and began to profess his love for someone named Diane. The construction crew, just hoping for burgers and beers, watched in confused silence as the DJ launched into an elaborate public proposal. But then—he called for a puppy. Yep, a dog in a restaurant.

To everyone's shock, a puppy came trotting over to the DJ. He searched the dog’s collar for the ring... but—uh oh—no ring. Panic set in. The DJ frantically started searching, muttering under his breath. Except… he wasn’t actually muttering. Since he was still next to the mic, the entire restaurant heard every expletive loud and clear. Yikes. In full meltdown mode, the DJ called in his friends to help search. Still no luck. Finally, in a Hail Mary move, he asked the entire restaurant to join the hunt. Diners looked under tables and chairs, scouring every inch of the Applebee’s.

At last, a woman near the trash yelled, “It’s here! Right next to the trash!” The place erupted in cheers. She returned the ring, the DJ dropped to one knee, and Diane—miraculously—said yes. The whole restaurant cheered in celebration. Sean and the crew got a mediocre dinner that night, but at least it came with one hell of a show.