February 14, 2009

I was in a grocery store at 7:30AM on Valentines Day. I had already delivered my own personal Valentine message to my own valentine. I was there only to make a small grocery purchase.

Immediately ahead of me in the express checkout line was a young man. I estimated he was about 16 years old. What attracted my attention to him was the message on the back of his Tee shirt.

“Can’t have too many guitars!”

Along with the message were pictures of many different guitars.

I suspected he was a budding musician.

He was purchasing a pre-cut, pre-wrapped, bouquet of flowers, a stick-on paper bow and a Valentines Day card. His bill totaled $31.70. He paid for the items with 32 very wrinkled one dollar bills, which he removed one by one from his blue jeans pocket. I imagined that he had earned the money one bill at a time. Maybe by playing his guitar at parties.

“Are these flowers for your valentine?,” the female clerk asked.

“Yes, and I’m really nervous. I hope she likes them.”

First love can be very fragile. There is always the possibility of rejection.

That’s why we have Cupid to help it along.

copyright 2009 by John Daly