“It’s going, it’s going, going, it’s gone!”

Who knew this simple baseball phrase screamed by so many as the ball off the bat of a favorite player from a favorite team flies over the left-center field wall could have any other meaning? Last weekend, a clearly die-hard pair of Yankees fans discovered the other meaning firsthand during a game versus the Boston Red Sox (Big Papi’s last series against the Bronx Bombers). For anyone who has not seen the video that went viral and does not yet know what I’m talking about, the first thing you should is watch the clip:

Between innings as players warmed up, a man got down on one knee in his row and began what would have been (and may still be) the proposal of a lifetime. Halfway through the little monologue, with the fiancée-to-be covering her mouth in happy shock and the crowd around the couple watching with puppy-love expressions, he reached into his jacket to pull out the ring…but the hand reappeared empty. His girlfriend, those watching in person, and those around the country tuned into ESPN, MLB, or YES Networks chuckled, thinking it was just a part of the act, a small joke for the benefit of the big screen over center field. After a few seconds of eternity, laughter turned to panic and frantic searching by the pair and every crowd member around them as people peered under seats, into half-empty beer cups, and anywhere else they could think of that would make sense to hide if they were a diamond engagement ring.

Let’s pause for a second before the suspenseful story continues. Over the last couple of days, I decided to ask some people in my life (and even a couple random strangers) how they would react if they were ever in a similar situation. Over the varying genders and ages, I was a bit surprised at some of the responses I got from some, and in bouts of laughter as I realized I could picture the reactions I got from others. Take a look.

“I would not really care because I am a klutz myself.” Female, 23 years old 

“I would be embarrassed. You have ONE job when proposing: get down on one knee and get the ring on her finger. People at ball games go crazy for balls, what would they do if they found a ring?” Male, 25 years old 

“It would depend on how old I was at the time, but in general, I would worry how much money was just lost. But it would make a memorable moment, and marriage is built on ups and downs. In the end, a ring is only a thing. Not a life or death event.” Female, 55 years old 

“I always find light in situations. I would laugh it off. It would be the happiest moment in a person’s life and if you’re willing to spend the rest of your life with them, you love them. Obviously I would hope to find the ring, but it would make for a great story to tell your family and eventually your kids.” Male, 20 years old 

“I think it would be okay, it’s the thought that counts, you know?” Female, 17 years old 

“Oh my god. I would be devastated. I’d be thinking this is supposed to be the most perfect moment of my life so far and I completely screwed it up. I’d be mortified. I feel like it would be like a nightmare where I almost don’t believe it’s real at first and I’m waiting for myself to wake up. Externally I’d probably turn into a stammering idiot. Honestly, I might even cry.” Male, 22 years old 

“I honestly would probably laugh and then help him look for the ring!” Female, 21 years old 

“I would be sweating. A lot. Both inside and out.” Male, 38 years old 

“I would be thinking OMG this is crazy, but somehow someone will find it. And that’s how I would be on the outside too, I guess.” Female, 37 years old 

“Honestly, internally, I would be upset but I wouldn’t show it. I would make a joke about it, be like we see there was a ring, but it kinda dropped and I would be like I owe you one ring, like something like that.” Male, 21 years old 

“Did he really buy me a ring and then pretend to lose it?!” Female, 62 years old 

“Oh, I would probably start laughing.” Female, 33 years old 

As you can see, we’ve got some jokers, some disbelievers, some criers—all different reactions, but the one thing that we don’t have, and I don’t believe we would have even if I polled the entire nation is anger. Nobody is perfect, and a moment this happy, a moment about the purest and truest form of love, isn’t one to be ruined by materialistic needs. A ring? Sure, a ring is nice, but even if this happened, wouldn’t you say yes?

And as public service announcement, they did find the ring and… she said yes!