Size matters
I used to really enjoy Valentines Day when I was a kid. At my school, it was like a class project. Everybody gave (almost) everybody a little valentine card or some of those heart-shaped candies. Even boys gave each other valentines. It wasn't a "homo" thing as we used to say, it was just a sign of friendship, that's all. But I really liked getting valentines from the girls. I was so homely, they mostly didn't play with or even talk to me, but they'd still give me a card, and it was always a thrill when they did.
When I got to sixth grade, though, I decided to Go Big with one girl in particular. I thought she was really something, so I talked my mom into taking me to See's Candies and buying one of those heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, like grownups gave to the special ladies in their lives.
Then V-Day came and while everyone else was exchanging cards, I walked up to the girl and gave her my heart. I don't remember the exact moment, probably because I was so nervous I couldn't even look her in the eye and could barely mumble whatever it was I had prepared myself to say. But I do remember it made her happy, so I considered my big play to have been a success... at least for a few seconds.
Then, disaster struck. From the other side of the classroom, handsome Jeff Fisher walked over and gave her an even BIGGER See's Candy heart! I couldn't believe it. If I were a cartoon character, you could have seen and heard my jaw drop and hit the floor with a loud "CLANG!" when this other boy one-upped me. (And yes, even at that age, I was able to grasp the simple concept of "size matters.") 😉 From triumph to humiliating defeat in less than a minute. So yeah, perhaps needless to say, that was a moment and a lesson I never forgot.
But all was not lost! A couple of days later, I received a very gracious note from the girl, thanking me for the candy. I showed it to my mom, and she put it in my "baby book" as a memento, along with one of the notes I wrote to put on the box. (I guess I didn't consider my writing on this one to be perfect enough, so I tore it up and wrote another.)
Anyway, that was my most memorable Valentines Day! And it turned out all was well that ended well. Tracey was never my actual girlfriend, but she was nice to me all the rest of the years we were in school together, and she was even my neighbor up the street for a while. I was happy to see her at our 40-year reunion in 2012, too. She'd barely aged a day, and still had that smile that was as big and beautiful as the day was bright. 😃
Our class picture from 1965-66. Tracey is the tallest girl in the back. I'm the buck-toothed bespectacled boy two rows down in the blue checked shirt. And my rival Jeff Fisher is in the front on the far right.
So Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope you liked my story. ❤️
When I got to sixth grade, though, I decided to Go Big with one girl in particular. I thought she was really something, so I talked my mom into taking me to See's Candies and buying one of those heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, like grownups gave to the special ladies in their lives.
Then V-Day came and while everyone else was exchanging cards, I walked up to the girl and gave her my heart. I don't remember the exact moment, probably because I was so nervous I couldn't even look her in the eye and could barely mumble whatever it was I had prepared myself to say. But I do remember it made her happy, so I considered my big play to have been a success... at least for a few seconds.
Then, disaster struck. From the other side of the classroom, handsome Jeff Fisher walked over and gave her an even BIGGER See's Candy heart! I couldn't believe it. If I were a cartoon character, you could have seen and heard my jaw drop and hit the floor with a loud "CLANG!" when this other boy one-upped me. (And yes, even at that age, I was able to grasp the simple concept of "size matters.") 😉 From triumph to humiliating defeat in less than a minute. So yeah, perhaps needless to say, that was a moment and a lesson I never forgot.
But all was not lost! A couple of days later, I received a very gracious note from the girl, thanking me for the candy. I showed it to my mom, and she put it in my "baby book" as a memento, along with one of the notes I wrote to put on the box. (I guess I didn't consider my writing on this one to be perfect enough, so I tore it up and wrote another.)
Anyway, that was my most memorable Valentines Day! And it turned out all was well that ended well. Tracey was never my actual girlfriend, but she was nice to me all the rest of the years we were in school together, and she was even my neighbor up the street for a while. I was happy to see her at our 40-year reunion in 2012, too. She'd barely aged a day, and still had that smile that was as big and beautiful as the day was bright. 😃
Our class picture from 1965-66. Tracey is the tallest girl in the back. I'm the buck-toothed bespectacled boy two rows down in the blue checked shirt. And my rival Jeff Fisher is in the front on the far right.
So Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope you liked my story. ❤️