Valentine's Day, Part II- Memories: Absent Goes to College

Fourteen years ago, I was a freshman at Brigham Young University, living in Heritage Halls, an apartment style dorm and I had five roommates. I was the only non-blond roommate, and by Valentine's Day I was the only roommate that had not received roses. Not that I am saying that my hair color had anything to do with my not receiving roses, but you know, perhaps if I had used a little peroxide...

The rose receiving was significant because we logged who received roses by sticking them in the kitchen ceiling. Our kitchen ceiling was covered from the table to the oven. We had one roommate, who we called Barbie, who received the most roses, like probably five dozen, and the rest of the roommates only received two, or maybe three, but I had not received any. And sometime when I looked at the ceiling I would feel sad because and unloved.

But, on Valentine's Day, a very nice boy sent me a half a dozen yellow roses.

I am not sure if I was more happy because I had roses to stick in the ceiling or because the nice boy sent them to me.