This time of year always strikes me in an odd way. For most of my "adult" life, I have been single. Not just single, as in unmarried; but single, as in unmarried with no realistic prospects. I guess after spending so much time by one's self, one tends to get used to the situation and one tends to not put much emphasis on "he-ing and she-ing." That is the situation in which I find myself these days.
It isn't that I am incapable of being a romantic. Ask anyone who really knows me. I am fully capable of an incredible level of charm. I remember the most significant relationship I have ever had was with a lovely young lady from Albany, Ga. The first Valentine's Day that appeared on the calendar during the three years we dated, I acquired one red rose to present to her. The next Valentine's Day, I presented two red roses to her. You see the pattern here? The next year, it was three red roses. It was around that time that she "dumped" me. I think that was around the time my "cynicism" began to kick in. I usually try to look for the silver lining surrounding any rain cloud, so I smile when I think of how much money those roses would be costing me now.
For a couple of years, I found a way to capitalize on my own lack of romantic entanglements and make money on the poor guys who were so entangled. I delivered flowers for a local florist. I actually delivered flowers at other times as well. I usually enjoyed doing that. More often than not, people were happy to see you; and on the rare occasion they weren't, it could be the source of even more entertainment. I remember one flower delivery I made where the recipient was not happy in the least to be receiving flowers from that particular gentleman. She suggested that he take the money he spent on flowers and spend it on his wife and kids. Lucky for me, she threw the flowers on the ground before I handed her the box of Godiva chocolates. I was able to keep those for myself.
So life isn't all bad, even for us cynics. After all, boxes of chocolates are on sale today.