Throwing Up On Valentine’s Day…A Love Story

After reading my friend Cara’s blog,http://jereandcara.blogspot.com/2011/02/old-people-at-valentines.htmlabout old people and Valentine’s Day I thought I better write something that wasn’t GROSS! She hates VDay but was moved by an old guy at Walgreens.

So, here’s my gross story.  During the depression my parents Ann Stell and Irven were in love, even in fifth grade. Mom came from a wealthy family, her dad was a surgeon. And my dad’s father was a brilliant, drunken architect. During the depression there wasn’t much work for brilliant architects.

So, in 5th grade Irven got a job working in a drug store after school and on Saturdays. Three weeks before Valentine’s Day they put up a giant red heart display in the window. The centerpiece piece was a massive heart shapped box of chocolates.It was covered with ribbons, bows and shiny stuff.  Two pounds of chocolate. Irven thought it was the most beautiful thin he’d ever seen. And so he decided  he was going to save all his money and buy the giant and glorious box of chocolate for Ann Stell because he planned on marrying her someday.

For three weeks he worked extra hours and saved every penny. He even told his mom he made less than he did so he could squirrel away money and buy the chocolates for Ann.

On February 13th he counted out all his money and paid for the massive shimmering box of chocolate and on Valenetine’s day he carried the enormous heart shaped gift a mile and a half to Ann’s lovely colonial style house on Prospect Avenue.

He range the doorbell and smiled at the maid, Iolla, when she opened the door.

“Miss Ann, your boy is here,” then Iolla winked at 10 year old, overall wearing, Irven.

Ann bounded down the stairs smiling with her thick glasses and beautiful but simple plaid dress.

Without saying a word Irven extended the heart shaped box of chocolates and grinned. He thought he would say “Happy Valentine’s Day,” but couldn’t speak so he just smiled.

Ann didn’t reach for the heart as Irven expected, instead she just shook her head, kind of saddly and said, “I’m sorry, my mother doesn’t let me eat cheap candy but you can come in if you want.”

Irven just shrugged and took a step backwards.

Ann smiled sweetly and said, “See you tomorrow,” then closed the door.

Irven was so devastated he didn’t know what to do. Finally, he walked down the 14 steps that lead back to the street. He sat down on the Prospect Avenue curb and sighed, then he opened the chocolate and started eating the two pounds of “cheap chocolate.”

Thirty minutes latter, his stomach started rolling and then he threw up two pounds of chocolate on the sidewalk in front of Ann’s house.

Mom always said this story wasn’t fair. Dad was a brilliant stroy teller and she couldn’t even get the punch line of a joke right. So, throughout their 30 years together she always sounded like the bad guy.

But that’s love and perspective. As the old adage goes, there is your version, my version and the truth.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Be Kind and tell a friend if you like the story.