Valentine's Day, 1997
It was eight months before we were to be married, six months before we were to buy a house, four months before we would leave on our honeymoon. We were doing everything backwards. But we were in love and it was Valentine's Day and I was standing inside of FAO Schwartz wondering if I would find anything like what I had in mind for her.
Tons of toys and games and stuffed animals. I was interested in a stuffed animal. And I knew that I'd know the right one the moment I saw it.
No, I wasn't looking for a cute little teddy bear with a heart that said "I Love You" or "Forever Mine" or "Be Nice to Me, or Die!"
No, I wanted something HUGE and yet cuddly. Beyond life size, yet floppy. I said No to the giant lion and Nada to the smaller giraffe and Nyet to the grey octopus.
Then I see it. There between the escalators, on a landing piled high with all kinds of stuffed animals.
A huge, larger-than-lifesize Saint Bernard (without the little barrel of brandy around the neck). He was great and floppy and cuddly all at once. I bundled him up, ignored the price tag, paid by credit card, and stepped out into the streets of San Francisco near Union Square, and walked up to a guy selling flowers, bought a dozen ruby-red roses.
Women were swooning on the streets.
I swear to God one of them came up to me, sighing at the great big brown-and-white dog and the dozen red, red roses, and said, "I'm going to go home tonight and slap by boyfriend's face!"
My then-fiance loved the gifts, but she loved the story more.
And that's the secret guys: Always give her a good story to tell. Even the most jaded, cynical, crusty-hearted woman will melt if you give her a good story to tell.
Like when I proposed to my wife. I picked a refined restaurant in Palo Alto, called some friends, two couples, Paula and Bernard, and Ed and Diane. They were both her favorite couples. I arranged the time with the restautant to reserve a table for two AND a table for six. Our table for two was arranged for 6:00 pm on a Sunday evening. The two couples were scheduled to arrive at 6:15 pm SHARP with what we had agreed on! The restaurant workers were all in on it.
I told my wife that I was taking her out to dinner. She was a bit tired, and I said nonchalantly that if she wanted to stay home, we would (I knew she wanted to eat out). She was wondering if she should dress up and I said, No problem, we can go casual (I knew that since this was a fine restaurant that she would want to dress up, so we did.)
We arrived on time, seated at the table for two. We placed out order (and the waiter knew not to submit it) and at exactly 6:15, Ed and Diane and Paula and Bernard arrived carrying dozens of beautiful yellow sunflowers. My wife kinda stammered and said, "Look, there's Paula and Bernard, and Ed and Diane. What...?"
And they placed the sunflowers around us in a semi-circle, bearing huge smiles, and I dropped to one knee and opened the the small case and showed her the ring and said, "My darling, will you marry me?"
And of course she said yes, and everyone in the restaurant cheered and we all sat at the table for six and enjoyed a fine, fine meal.
And a year later, at our wedding ceremony, other friends surprised us with a humorous, narrated pantomime rendition of the entire marriage proposal.
Like I said, men, give your woman a story to tell.
Then she won't just love you for what you did that one day. She'll love you every day she tells that story.
As you see, I'm all for Valentine's Day.
The Devastating Divas and The Mahvelous Men's Club also give you their takes on Valentine's Day:
silk gives us a little history and a little cynicism, and a suggestion for a gesture. Just what you'd expect from from our horny friend. (Look at her header image! Sheesh!)
Phoenix says it's what you make of it. Of course, being a new mom, she's still a romantic.
Theresa is not a fan and seems a bit more cynical than silk.
Arielle is a bit too calloused to romantic what-nots, so it looks like Phoenix and I still have some blinders on our eyes.
Jim never got into Valentine's Day much. To him, every day is Valentine's Day.
Darren is taking his time thinking up what to say, which is good news to me and means I'm NOT the last one to get on board.
James says something quite clear and obvious when you think about it: Your response to Valentine's Day just might be dependent on the status of your love life.
I agree.
Tons of toys and games and stuffed animals. I was interested in a stuffed animal. And I knew that I'd know the right one the moment I saw it.
No, I wasn't looking for a cute little teddy bear with a heart that said "I Love You" or "Forever Mine" or "Be Nice to Me, or Die!"
No, I wanted something HUGE and yet cuddly. Beyond life size, yet floppy. I said No to the giant lion and Nada to the smaller giraffe and Nyet to the grey octopus.
Then I see it. There between the escalators, on a landing piled high with all kinds of stuffed animals.
A huge, larger-than-lifesize Saint Bernard (without the little barrel of brandy around the neck). He was great and floppy and cuddly all at once. I bundled him up, ignored the price tag, paid by credit card, and stepped out into the streets of San Francisco near Union Square, and walked up to a guy selling flowers, bought a dozen ruby-red roses.
Women were swooning on the streets.
I swear to God one of them came up to me, sighing at the great big brown-and-white dog and the dozen red, red roses, and said, "I'm going to go home tonight and slap by boyfriend's face!"
My then-fiance loved the gifts, but she loved the story more.
And that's the secret guys: Always give her a good story to tell. Even the most jaded, cynical, crusty-hearted woman will melt if you give her a good story to tell.
Like when I proposed to my wife. I picked a refined restaurant in Palo Alto, called some friends, two couples, Paula and Bernard, and Ed and Diane. They were both her favorite couples. I arranged the time with the restautant to reserve a table for two AND a table for six. Our table for two was arranged for 6:00 pm on a Sunday evening. The two couples were scheduled to arrive at 6:15 pm SHARP with what we had agreed on! The restaurant workers were all in on it.
I told my wife that I was taking her out to dinner. She was a bit tired, and I said nonchalantly that if she wanted to stay home, we would (I knew she wanted to eat out). She was wondering if she should dress up and I said, No problem, we can go casual (I knew that since this was a fine restaurant that she would want to dress up, so we did.)
We arrived on time, seated at the table for two. We placed out order (and the waiter knew not to submit it) and at exactly 6:15, Ed and Diane and Paula and Bernard arrived carrying dozens of beautiful yellow sunflowers. My wife kinda stammered and said, "Look, there's Paula and Bernard, and Ed and Diane. What...?"
And they placed the sunflowers around us in a semi-circle, bearing huge smiles, and I dropped to one knee and opened the the small case and showed her the ring and said, "My darling, will you marry me?"
And of course she said yes, and everyone in the restaurant cheered and we all sat at the table for six and enjoyed a fine, fine meal.
And a year later, at our wedding ceremony, other friends surprised us with a humorous, narrated pantomime rendition of the entire marriage proposal.
Like I said, men, give your woman a story to tell.
Then she won't just love you for what you did that one day. She'll love you every day she tells that story.
As you see, I'm all for Valentine's Day.
The Devastating Divas and The Mahvelous Men's Club also give you their takes on Valentine's Day:
silk gives us a little history and a little cynicism, and a suggestion for a gesture. Just what you'd expect from from our horny friend. (Look at her header image! Sheesh!)
Phoenix says it's what you make of it. Of course, being a new mom, she's still a romantic.
Theresa is not a fan and seems a bit more cynical than silk.
Arielle is a bit too calloused to romantic what-nots, so it looks like Phoenix and I still have some blinders on our eyes.
Jim never got into Valentine's Day much. To him, every day is Valentine's Day.
Darren is taking his time thinking up what to say, which is good news to me and means I'm NOT the last one to get on board.
James says something quite clear and obvious when you think about it: Your response to Valentine's Day just might be dependent on the status of your love life.
I agree.
posted by WitNit at
12:00 PM
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