Brandon Bishoff, a 22 year-old BYU student, may have just screwed up his life forever. It all came down to this point of anxiety.
“He said that he was nervous about the black car that was following us,” said Brandon’s girlfriend, Kristina Austin. They were driving on their way to pick up the most important symbol of their love. Little did Kristina know what was about to happen.
Sirens blared and lights flashed as Kristina exclaimed, “Those darn undercover cops!” Brandon muttered something under his breath- trying not to let Kristina hear.
His acting skills from high school would finally come in handy. “Everything is going to be alright,” he said through clenched teeth. Beads of sweat collected on his forehead.
“License and registration, sir.” The officer did not look amused and his tone just reinforced the fact. He walked back to the patrol car and returned within the minute.
“Sir, would you step out of the car, please,” the officer kindly, but sternly asked Brandon. Thoughts started storming Kristina’s mind and she felt clueless. She later remarked, “I didn’t know whether he had forgotten to pay a parking ticket or what.”
A few minutes went by. She decided to turn up the radio while she waited.
Looking in the rear-view mirror, Kristina saw a startling sight. Her boyfriend of three months had his hands in the air and the officer was searching him. “I felt bad staring, so I looked back down at the ground for a few seconds,” Kristina recounted.
There was a soft bang on the back of the car, so Kristina looked back. Brandon was handcuffed and shoved against the car! By this time, anyone would’ve been an imbecile not to know that something was wrong.
The officer walked Brandon around to the side of the car and asked Kristina to step out. Kristina was almost in tears as the three of them walked around to the back of the car.
The officer then proceeded to handcuff them together and told Kristina, “I’m handcuffing you together so that he doesn’t run away. I’m getting something out of my car. Stay here.”
What was happening? Who wouldn’t be confused by the turn of events?
Brandon decided to come out straight. He said, “Kristina, I think I’m about to go to jail for a long time. I might as well come clean. There’s something I need to ask you before he takes me away.”
Brandon got down on one knee.
“Will you marry me?”
The officer, also known as Brandon’s uncle, came from the patrol car with a small box. “Here, you might need this,” he said. Kristina caught on, “You little PUNK,” she exclaimed, “of course I’ll marry you!” Brandon opened the box with Kristina’s engagement ring inside.
They were supposed to be going to get the ring, which was an hour away. Without Kristina’s knowledge, Brandon had convinced his roommate, Kyle Hollenback, to make the drive and get the ring earlier.
“It was probably the most fun thing I’ve ever been involved in,” Kyle later said, “I felt like I was contributing to something big. They’re really in love and I’m glad I could help.”
Brandon later said, “I’m really pleased with the way things turned out. My dad had suggested using my uncle for the proposal and I thought that was a great idea. I was expected her to catch on sooner, considering she’s met him before.”
Kristina retorted, “Yeah…I knew I had seen him before, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Not very many 40 year-old men have braces.” She smiled at her fiancé Brandon, chuckled and it was made apparent that they were in love.
Brandon and Kristina will be married in the Mount Timpanogus temple April 23rd, 2011.
