If you took a survey asking men what the most stressful day of the year is, I think February 14th would win in a landslide. The pressure to keep your girl happy on Valentine’s Day is immense. Especially because you know that on February 15th, she is going to talk to her girlfriends, and all their significant others are undoubtedly going to have done something more impressive than you. Trust me, you don’t want to be the guy who bought her a mixed flower bouquet and Milk Duds from Kroger when her best friend got an engraved 24 karat gold locket.
I, unfortunately, have a history of disappointing Ellie on Valentine’s Day. On our first Valentine’s Day as a dating couple, I was very inexperienced in the art of valentine-ing. I had no idea you had to make reservations ahead of time. After stopping by a half a dozen restaurants, we were very lucky to find two open seats at the counter at Steak and Shake at 9:30pm. At least they were serving half-priced, festive milkshakes.
So the next year, I decided to avoid the restaurants all together and cook chocolate fondue at my house. Of course no one told me you had to periodically stir the chocolate to prevent it from burning. (I grew up with six younger siblings. We never ate fondue anything.) I figured this out right as Ellie was arriving at my door, so I just went with it.
“This chocolate tastes a little funny,” Ellie stated, after dipping a stunning, succulent strawberry in the concoction. “It has a burnt, bitter taste.”
“That’s because it’s high quality Belgium dark chocolate,” I stammered. “It has a high class taste. I ordered it straight from Belgium. Had it shipped here last week.”
“Really?” she raised one eyebrow at me. “Then why are there a bunch of Hershey’s milk chocolate wrappers in the garbage can?”
Busted.
Fast-forward seven years later.
This year, I decided to go all out and surprise Ellie with a nice piece of jewelry. I left work early and swung by the jewelry store. As I handed my credit card to the clerk, I was imagining the look of surprise on Ellie’s face when I presented her with the beautiful necklace I had just purchased.
My phone rang as I exited the store, and I answered to hear Ellie’s frantic voice. “Someone has stolen our credit card!”
“That’s not good,” I replied, “How do you know?”
“Well I just got a text message alert that someone spent $100 at a jewelry store.
My heart sank. “Honey don’t worry about it. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Someone took our money! I have to hang up and call the credit card company.”
“It’s probably just a computer mistake. I’m telling you babe, it’s nothing. Let it go!”
“Mr. Handsome, what’s going on?”
As you can imagine, I had to explain right then and there what the charge had been for, thus ruining the surprise.
“Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed. “Come on home so I can see my new necklace!” At least she still enjoyed the gift. Here’s to hoping that I can pull off a decent Valentine’s Day surprise next year.
Mr. Handsome needs to start writing books, his posts are always funny and I enjoy them.
I like the photo of Mr. Handsome, and it’s nice that you got Ellie something for Valentine’s Day that she can cherish for a long time. Happy Valentine’s Day to Ellie, Mr. Handsome and Little Buddy. Hag.,MD.
This is so adorbs. Do we get to see a picture of the necklace???
Maybe Ellie will wear her necklace next time she and Mr. Handsome does a video chat.
Boy you are clueless Mr. Handsome. Gold lockets would not come in 24K (unless plated, yuck). Better go back to the jewelry store and have another look. Better spend an hour or two there. With your own credit card.
Anonymous Feb. 14th at 5:04am
He never said it was a Gold locket he got her a necklace. Do you not know how to read.
What a comment. Yes a gold locket was mentioned!
Ahhh very cute! This year my husband and I decided not to exchange. We are first time parents and with COVID guidelines keeping us home, it’s just easier that way. We are doing cards only..I had to order mine from Amazon. Hopefully it arrives sometime soon! 😂🤣. Enjoy the necklace!
Entertaining post! Now we are all curious to see the necklace please
Those are really sweet things to do. Definitely not disasters. 🙂
Thank you for the laugh…I needed it!!
😂
Mr Handsome, (Ellie should really let us know your real name)
I will be pulling for you next year !
What matters is you keep on trying. That’s what keeps the romance alive! Best of luck for next year 🙂
Thanks for the post! This so reminds me of my husbands birthday last year. Because of the Covid, we could not have many people over, so I had planned a trip to a near by island, that’s about 30 minute drive from our house. I had heard that there was a great new restaurant that had just opened. I checked their website to see their opening hours but failed to see that they are not open on tuesdays during the fall. So we drive there and the restaurant is closed. There’s only a small shabby kiosk open at the island. We go there and there’s some people drinking beer and being loud, so we decide to just grab some ice cream to go and then go see beautiful heritage mansion and it’s lovely rock beach with the kids. And we decide to drive to the city to have a meal there. We are having fun time looking at the windy sea in fall and finding beautiful rocks. But then our 3 old, who is usually super careful goes too close to the water and slides to the cold water. Luckily we have extra blankets in the car, so we get wet clothes off from him and wrap him in blankets. We head home, but since its’s week night we know that we don’t have time to go home and change his outfit, so instead off a special meal my husband gets to eat take away McDonalds food on his birthday…
That sounds like quite the day, Leina! At least you got some McDonalds, LOL.
Funny stories, I’ll agree. But the whole V. D. thing is false. How can conformity to this commercial holiday represent true love? It represents being thoroughly brainwashed with this cards calendar, that’s all.
My husband feels the same way but I don’t 🙂 So thankfully he grudgingly gets me something.
What kind of credit card alerts someone to a $100 purchase made locally? Yes, go back to the jewelry store and buy some more. This time call the credit card company and say I’m about to make a purchase here, don’t question it. Maybe your problem is you haven’t been in that store enough for the card to learn your buying pattern. Better make it a habit to shop there! LOL! I got the gift of loose diamonds one year and the promise that the store would work with me for a custom-designed setting. That was fun. I have a one-of-a-kind ring now, and I got to watch the process from 3-D design to wax mold to casting to finished ring.
This is so funny!! Can we see a pic of the necklace?
This is SO completely awesome! My husband and I both discovered it was our twelfth anniversary when my sister texted “Happy anniversary” to both of us. Happily he checked his phone about 30 mins. before I did- just enough time for him to arrange a babysitter. =D