Durban - Why wear your heart on your sleeve when you can commandeer an entire wall to show it off to the world?
That is exactly what Oshard Bedessey did on Friday, to the delight of motorists and pedestrians, at the junction of Currie and Argyle Roads in Morningside, Durban.
The love-struck young man was not content to follow the traditional route and only go down on bended knee to ask his lady love, Janelle Rampath, 26, to become his wife.
Instead, knowing how much she enjoys good street art, he commissioned grafitti artists Mook Lion and Moody to emblazon the wall of local photographer Val Adamson’s home – a popular “canvas” for the arts community – with his proposal.
Did the lady in question say yes? With the weight of public approval on Bedessey’s side – signalled by wild hooting and yells from motorists and passersby – she didn’t have much choice.
Taken completely by surprise by her boyfriend’s romantic and imaginative take on popping the question, Ramputh accepted his offer of matrimony, and promptly burst into happy tears.
The couple are both engineers and have been dating for two years.
Their relationship is a long-distance one because Bedessey, 28, lives in Richards Bay and Rampath lives in Durban, yet they say they manage to keep things going strong by making time to see each other every weekend.
“I have been thinking of popping the question for several months now and I was trying to find an extraordinary way to do it. Janelle always admires the grafitti wall when we drive past it, so I decided to get an artist to paint a picture of the two of us.
“I drove past the wall with Janelle on Friday and stopped the car. I convinced her to walk down the street with me so that we could check it out. She could hardly believe what she was seeing when she realised the picture was of us,” said Bedessey.
Four of his friends were also in on the surprise. They were briefed in advance and tasked with meeting Bedessey and Rampath at the wall with a bouquet of red roses.
An overwhelmed Rampath called it “the happiest day of my life” and said she had no inkling of what Bedessey had been planning.
“He said we were going to a cocktail party and that I should wear a dress and get my nails done. I didn’t have the slightest clue what he was up to. I was totally mind-blown by this. I can’t believe he thought of something so unique and romantic.
“I love Oshard to bits and hope we can work around the distance issue between the two towns we work in so we can get married soon,” said Rampath.
Bedessey bought Rampath a diamond ring that will always remind her of their special day. They plan to marry as soon as they are able to find jobs closer to each other.
Sunday Tribune