The Best Valentine's Day Ever

Valentine’s Day

It’s hard to keep track

Last year the doorbell rang and a man in a Nascar cap

Delivered a dozen red roses

Dark ruby red, opulent, bursting with color

A mystery gift for my wife

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” the card proclaimed

Then continued, “To Katja from David”

“What’s this?” I thought

Bamboozled, confused

I hadn’t ordered flowers

No memory, not a clue

Besides which, they must have cost a fortune

Just then Katja appeared on the stairs

A beaming smile on her face

“Thank you so much,” and she kissed my cheek

I started to speak but she whispered, “I know”

The flowers, she explained, were from NPR

A thank you for her annual pledge

She asked they be sent in my name

“What’s this?” I thought

Mortified, dismayed

“My wife has to send my Valentine?”

I pretended I had pressing matters

And scurried down the street to the store

I picked the gooiest card on the rack —

Eight Ninety-Nine, it played a perky song

Then a super-sized box of chocolate turtles —

Nineteen ninety-nine

Plus tax

Katja was thrilled, I have to say

In fact, I would say ecstatic

Not the chocolates, not the card, but that I’d come through

(Even though I had gotten a reminder)

She called it the best Valentine’s Day ever

And that may be true of our times so far

But, if I dig deep, 

There’s no telling, 

Perhaps I could  do even better