Are you saying it with flowers this Valentine’s?

Editorial Comment
We are talking about Valentine’s Day, that time of the year when men are made to feel guilty for the act of omission.

SOME say it with flowers and others with chocolate. The more creative ones will do more. Then there are those, no doubt in the majority, who will forget. Let’s just say that the significance of the day is lost on them.

We are talking about Valentine’s Day, that time of the year when men are made to feel guilty for the act of omission.

I blame it on capitalism. The commercial world has made it a point to milk the occasion dry. That does not exclude turning the pockets of many a hot bloodied male inside out.

They have taken advantage of that momentary episode of a cupid induced stupor that leads one to believe that the easiest way into a woman’ heart is through one’s pocket. Try to ignore the day at your peril as some have discovered. It’s far more costly than purchasing a rose for a dollar like I witnessed in Bulawayo a few years ago.

Never mind the fact that people there are on the verge of being broke. Yet somehow, money was found to purchase all sorts of gifts that were being sold at extortionist prices. Ever noticed how the price of some of these goodies rises exponentially on Valentine’s Day? Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Anything red has its price. Some of us put our superstitions aside and don the forbidden colour. Be careful if there are any rain clouds in the horizon. Otherwise the lightening toll would have been high indeed.

So who marks Valentine’s Day? The romantics of course! Those who still have hot blood running through their veins.

It is also about those who are not feeling sorry that they are in love. This is the opportune moment to recharge the batteries of waning affection. If a relationship is in the midst of World War Three, Valentine’s Day offers a good opportunity for the opposing lovers to bring out the white flags with neither losing face nor any crucial ground.

The genuine celebrants must be those who anonymously send gifts of flowers, accompanied by a card and chocolates to members of the opposite sex whom they secretly admire.

What cowards! Admit that you could not muster enough courage to approach the lady and pour your heart out to her!

Remember those heady days when you sent the girl’s young brother with the letter only for the little imp to divert it to the father? What about the bribes that you had to part with for those precious words to reach the eyes of your precious one.

Ominously addressed ‘For Your Eyes Only’ those elegantly perfumed envelopes would spell disaster if they fell into the wrong hands. An unfortunate friend’s missive became the subject of intense marking and correction by his intended girl’s friends. After much dissection, it was hung out to dry on the school notice board for all and sundry to see.

He was AWOL from school until the dust settled weeks later. As for the undying love he had for the said girl, well let’s just say it died a natural death.

I won’t forget my friend Dominic at Fletcher High all those years ago.

He had spent sleepless nights composing this letter for all seasons addressed to a girl he had met on the train. His biggest mistake was to revise the missive during a Science lesson taught by the reincarnation of the Medusa.

Need I continue? You guessed right, he was caught reading it and was forced to stand before the whole class and read it out loud. Not only that, the lady teacher went on to claim that he had addressed it to her since it had no addressee! She took it to her husband who happened to be a karate instructor and it gets worse!

The letter ended up on the headmaster’s desk and was read out at assembly and as they say the rest is history. Not to mention that Dominic almost became history himself. That is one love letter that really did the rounds for sure!

Why can’t we buck the trend and indigenise Valentine’s Day? How about doing something practical like sending her umfushwa (dried veggies) if she is overseas?

Take it for me, that and dried mopane worms would clinch any woman’s heart who grew up in the dusty townships. Throw in the odd bag of good old mealie meal and you are set for life!

Valentine’s Day may mean different things to different people. If you are attached or you are intending to be you just can’t ignore it. Which explains why retailers take out their calculators long before the day arrives.

Since women are more likely to be more aware of its significance being on the receiving end so to speak, men will have to bear the brunt of their expectations.

The man’s burden is to remember to get or do something special for his loved one. Ignore this fact at your peril, serious financial consequences not withstanding of course.

Lenox Mhlanga is a social commentator

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