It was weeks before Valentine’s day, but I already had a plan. I knew exactly what I wanted to do for my Valentine. It was going to be one for the record books. Like Jack Pearson style from This is Us, except not as perfect, because Jack is perfect. The only problem I had was – well, she wasn’t exactly my Valentine. At least not yet.
My plan was simple. Step One: Spend a couple of days writing the perfect song. Step Two: Record the song on the low budget equipment I had available at the time. Step Three: Deliver the CD to my Valentine-to-be and wait with open arms as she swooned and collapsed out of utter delight into my cradling arms.
It. Would. Be. Epic.
That was, in my head at least.
To my credit, I think I wrote a pretty knockout tune. The recording may have been pretty subpar, but the song had good bones. I even played it for one of her friends in advance – just to gauge the reaction level. The response was great! Something like, ‘If a guy did that for me, I’d be in tears.’ Score!! Unfortunately, that wasn’t the reaction that mattered.
Feeling a little more courageous after the five star review, I put everything in place and delivered the CD to my hopeful Valentine. I waited, just knowing that soon, she’d be mine! There was NO WAY this could backfire!
Except, it did.
That over-the-moon, shoot for the stars, once in a lifetime response I was patiently waiting for came in the form of two words. Now, before I reveal those words, you should know that the last line in the song was ‘Won’t you be my Valentine?’ So I was hoping to hear a one word answer – YES!
Instead, I got two words!
‘Thank you’.
It was polite. It was considerate. It was devastating. It was all my teenage heart could bear.
At this point, I’m realizing this Valentine’s Day blog has a depressing tone. But there’s a total upside!
Persistence pays off!
Erica wasn’t ready to be my Valentine that year. And I sure bet she didn’t think in that moment that I would be the one she would marry. But a few more years and a few more songs later, she said YES in a much bigger way!
The fun detail in our Valentine’s story is that I proposed using the same song I had used on that ‘Thank You’ Valentine’s Day. That night was a little different. The last line ended with ‘Won’t you be my wife?!’ And the response…it was so much more affirming! 🙂
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