greedy retailers had wrecked it for most
by marking up
candy and jewelry and cards.
“Just tell me
you love me on Valentine’s Day
I do not need roses
at ten times their worth!"
After running
some errands and returning back home
I entered my
office, then gasped and stopped short
A vase of red
roses had been set on my desk
and my anger erupted
in the rudest of yells
“What the . . .
you know what I think of flowers this day!”
“Yes, I do,” he
said as he rounded the corner
to yank up the
vase and toss out its contents.
“Dollar Store!”
he grinned, then hooted in glee.
It took me a
second to fathom the scene. Uh,
no water was spilled
and . . . Oh, the roses were fake!
I gulped and I gasped,
then I snorted a laugh
and he grinned and
extended his arms in a hug.
We chuckled all
day at how I fell for his joke.
All these years
later I still have those roses
sweet keepsake forever
of his laughter and love.