Artemis and Doug

Artemis Foundas and Doug Lang first met when they were attending Blue Valley North High School in the same graduating class. Ten years later, they crossed paths again and that is when their relationship started.  Doug’s a video game enthusiast who’s always searching for old video arcade games. Early in their relationship, Artemis accompanied him when he purchased a Ms. Pac-Man cocktail table.

“This was the first arcade game we purchased together,” Doug relates. “Artemis had fond memories playing a Ms. Pac-Man in Greece, where she grew up. As my basement arcade collection grew, the Ms. Pac-Man was the one we played a lot together.

“When I knew I wanted to propose to Artemis, I thought about reprograming a Ms. Pac-Man to say the words ‘Will you marry me?’ I also wanted to change the bonus points icons in the game to things like our cats, an engagement ring, etc.” Since he couldn’t use the existing game, Doug found another stand-up game and stashed it at his parents’ house while he reprogrammed it. Artemis enjoys watching vloggers on YouTube, so Doug also put together months of video clips in a vlog style that showed his progress. He contacted Alamo Drafthouse and arranged to position the game in the lobby and for his video to be played in a theater.

“We walked into the Alamo Drafthouse lobby; she saw the Ms. Pac-man arcade in the middle of the lobby but didn’t question it, as she kept looking to see what the surprise movie was. I asked if she’d like to play the Ms. Pac-Man, and as we walked closer she saw the main screen display ‘Artemis, will you marry me?’ I got down on one knee to ask her and she said ‘Yes!’”

“As she was playing the game, she enjoyed seeing all the changes I had put in it. When she finished playing, I told her, ‘Let’s go, we’re late for the movie!’ We opened the door to the theater and our family and friends were waiting inside to congratulate us. After a few minutes the lights dimmed and that’s when the vlog I had made started playing on the big screen.”

Artemis and Doug are planning a December 2017 wedding, where the Ms. Pac-Man will be there for guests to play! ■