Valentine

On Jan 19th Diva and I will have our anniversary. About a year ago we were in Macy’s. As we passed a display of Valentine bears, she said, “Never get me one of those -- they are just dust collectors.” Later we were in Wal-Mart passing another display of Valentine bears. (I imagine these displays are put up by single people -- who are very angry.)

Diva muttered, “It wasn’t me who thinks that they are dust collectors -- that was my friend talking. I wish I had one.”

“I get paid tomorrow -- we‘ll come back and get it.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

The next day we sat in the third booth from the front window at CiCi’s Pizza. (I’m just mentioning that in case they wish to put up a plaque.) Diva leaned towards me and said, “I was wondering... do you want to be more than just friends?”

“More than anything.”

Like a stuffed animal, she flopped onto the table and sighed: “Oh, thank God!”

The world had been lifted off her shoulders. I didn’t know that she had been thinking about it for weeks and finally asked a guy at work: “How can I find out if he loves me?”

He said, “Just ask him.” (Thank you, pizza spinning dude -- thank you.)

We got the bear -- he was nearly as big as her but she had no trouble lifting him. As we stood in line, small children smiled and grown women looked jealous. We both began to glow -- we still are.

Last week, I was looking through my stuff and found a tiny book. It said “Love” on the cover. In it were a hundred thoughts of what people imagined love to be. I got it at a time when there was no one in my life and I was one very desperate man. I was trying to discover what it really meant -- you know, that whole “love” thing. I didn’t find it anywhere in that god damn book and flung it at the wall. Now I’m giving that book to Diva. It’s a little battered, but I know what love is. It’s her.