So, Valentine's day happened recently. I was reminded about it in class as it was wafting by a week ago on Friday, and as I had been thinking and talking about it with Colleen, I observed that I had enjoyed it back in Grade School. In Grade school it was a lark: lacy paper hearts, scissors and glue, pretty much a day off. It was also a bit promiscuous. I gave and received cards and candy to pretty much everybody, whether I liked them or not, or whether they liked me or not, and at the end of the day, I think that the trick had worked: we all liked each other a little bit more than we had before. And then it was over, a properly ephemeral bit of random sweetness in an otherwise dull month. And now it's something else.
Sure, it's gained a bit of gravitas over the years, and certainly the quality of candy has improved. The pastels of youth have been replaced by a bit more lurid pallet. It also seems to have acquired a tinge of menace that I don't remember, offerings must now be made or consequences suffered. It's a holiday for lovers now, and a chance for them to hold each other hostage. Furthermore, the old joyous promiscuity is gone: I couldn't give valentines day gifts to friends or classmates now without risking disciplinary action of some sort.
If this is the way it's going to be, I'd rather opt out. The Observant can have the holiday; Colleen can already have all the candy she wants, but not the flowers because they make my nose itch, and every day will be Valentines day from now on.
