Bee Mine

When I was growing up Valentine's Day was the most unromantic day of the year. After all, it was for kids and what did kids know or care about all that smoochy stuff? It certainly had nothing to do with love or sex or romance like it does today.

Valentine's Day was more about friendship and popularity - in other words, it was all about the numbers. Before Facebook and social networking Valentine's Day was a rare opportunity to tally up all your friends  - and what better way than by counting your Valentines. 

And it was about as accurate as Facebook too; in a well meaning attempt to keep things fair and equitable, the general rule was that everyone had to give a Valentine to everyone. So if there were 30 kids in your class you got 30 Valentines. I suppose there were some kids who received more than their share and some who came up a little short. But as the great philosopher Frank Sinatra once said - "That's life. That's what all the people say. You're either ridin' high in April - or shot down in May."

But for love sick, shy kids like me, Valentine's Day was the one day of the year when you could throw caution to the wind and finally tell that cute little girl in your class that she was the one for you. Of course you didn't do it in person - you did it by sending her a cheap Valentine that said something cryptic like "Eye A Door U" or the even more suggestive "Bee My Honey".  Hot stuff when you are nine years old! Then there were the generic "Howdy Pardner" or "You're Swell" Valentine cards to give to the boys in your class or to the less attractive girls - wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea now, would we?

So in keeping with the all inclusive, generic, gender neutral Valentine policy of my youth, I just want to say I think you're swell and wish you a Happy Valentine's Day, Pardner!