http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2003/07...d5c0042c472.txt

 

No bull: Marriage proposal accepted

 

                 

 

By JORDAN DRACKLEY, Courier Staff Writer

 

                 

 

OELWEIN --- Everything went well at the Fourth of July parade Friday morning. You could say, it went off with a hitch.

 

The 16-foot plastic bull always attracts glances when it rolls through town festivals or family celebrations. But this time, attention from only one person in the crowd mattered.

 

Jennifer Vollmer, 29, stared awestruck at the magic phrase spelled out on the beast's side: "This is no bull, Jen --- Will you marry me? Love Troy."

 

                 

 

Troy Fitzpatrick, 37, waited for his girlfriend's answer.

 

"I brought my hands to my face and I started crying," Jennifer said Saturday.

 

She said she could hardly catch her breath, but she did say yes.

 

Troy got down on his knee and put the ring hidden in his mother's purse on Jennifer's shaking finger.

 

The crowd cheered and clapped. And when that was over Troy surprised Jennifer again with her grandparents from Minnesota. They hid in the background waiting for the right moment to come forward.

 

"It was a very memorable moment," Jennifer said.

 

The Oelwein resident met Jennifer, who's from Fairfield, Calif., just this year. She had flown to Iowa to support her best friend, who happened to be Troy's cousin, at the funeral of Troy's grandmother.

 

Romance blossomed quickly. Jennifer made the move to Oelwein --- "God's country," as she calls it --- in late May. Troy said they had discussed marriage but never seriously.

 

"It's kind of been a whirlwind romance," said Mary Jane Fitzpatrick, Troy's mother.

 

The bull cruised through the parade on a trailer driven by Troy's dad, Bob Fitzpatrick, and it isn't the first contact the family has had with the bull. Last year, Bob drove it for a special town 9/11 tribute. They also rented it for Troy's niece's high school graduation. With encouragement from relatives, Troy decided to keep the bull in the family tradition.

 

Randall's Stop 'N Shop in Hudson has been renting out the monster for about 10 years, but this was out of the ordinary, said Bonita Schoenfelder, an employee. To her knowledge, it's never been used for a marriage proposal.

 

"It's quite a hit," Mary Jane said. "We thought it would be unique, a girl from the big city coming to Oelwein."

I don't know which is sadder, that the guy proposed on the side of a bull, or that for some people a trip to see bulls run around is a romantic evening.

 

Where is Oelwein? (I am guessing Iowa cuz soxheads put it up)

I don't know which is sadder, that the guy proposed on the side of a bull, or that for some people a trip to see bulls run around is a romantic evening.

 

Where is Oelwein? (I am guessing Iowa cuz soxheads put it up)

Yeah I live in Oelwein. It's a city of about 6,700 in NE Iowa.