Dear Cupid,

Since you asked yesterday about fond valentine memories … I will share mine with you.

Normally, I don’t believe in Valentine’s day. I think if there is someone you like – you should tell them and often.

This isn’t a cynical or bitter belief – it’s just that to have a national holiday of love is a bit strange.

We should always love eachother and if you are fortunate to have a True Love – you are blessed daily to be with them.

Be sweet and loving often.

Squeeze them tight.

Love them well. I have been very fortunate to have a few valentines in my life and one year it was Philip one my college study

buddies.

Philip was one of three men in the speech and hearing program at UCSB. He was super smart, shy and on the UCSB fencing team.

Can you imagine? He was cute in his fencing suit and quite confident when he wore it.

That isn’t to say he wasn’t so confident outside the uniform -he was just so quiet and much gentler than when he was trying to jab his fencing opponents with his

epee.

Anway, he asked me to be his valentine. It was so endearing. Plus, I really enjoyed his company. What a day and evening it turned out to be.

Philip picked me up and took me to the Santa Barbara Zoo. That particular zoo isn’t anything special, kind of small and a tad depressing from what I

remember. The worst part is the sad giraffe that used to be there for years!

He had a goiter of some sort portruding from his neck.

It’s a giraffe not a camel! But the zookeepers assured me that he wasn’t in any pain. It just didn’t look pleasant.

Philip brought a picnic for us though and after observing the monkeys we proceeded to enjoy a nice lunch.

After the zoo – he took me back to his apartment. He remembered us discussing “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” and since it was a

childhood favorite of both of ours, had it ready for us to watch.

Since drinking alcohol was out of the question – he had non-alcoholic sparkling cider for us to drink.

Seriously, one of the sweetest boys around.

The topper was that he gave me a hand drawn rose valentine that he sketched with colored pencils. He even wrote “Happy St. Valentine’s Day” on it. Very formal and touching.

I still have it in my prized letters.

That is one of my sweetest valentine’s days that I can remember…

Quite lovely.

Love,

The Sap.

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