Saint Valentine 2

(This is a sequel of my earlier work Saint Valentine: Villain Valentine  which was based on real incidents. If you have not already read, consider (do not have to) reading it before this story. Here is the link.)

14th Feb 2011. It was Valentine Day again. Running on his treadmill while watching The Early Show on Channel 5, Ajay heard his iPhone beeping with a reminder of Valentine Day. But Ajay did not need a reminder, he already knew about Valentine Day. How could he forget Valentine Day?

Determined to make up for the past, he was prepared to put effort, time and money to get the best possible Valentine Gift for his wife Anita.

As a distinguished cardiologist, he knew all about heart muscles, arteries & veins connecting to heart and its complex function of pumping blood to the body. Struggling to finalize the gift for Anita, today he wished he knew more about heart (or to be technically correct brain) of Venusians.

Diamond Ring! No. She already got a big diamond ring for her last birthday.

Gold Jewelry! No. Her preference is pure gold that is not possible in the USA.

Shoes! No. She likes to buy herself.

Apple Laptop! She would love it but not a romantic gift.

Perfume! No Way. Never!

A book! Good idea but again not romantic enough.

Right at that moment, a TV advertisement showed Red Roses. He knew his answer.

Yes. Red roses! Anita loves red roses. She loves to decorate the house with red colored fresh roses in different kinds of vases. She loves the fragrance and touch of roses. She loves to feel the roses. Convinced with the decision to get roses, he stopped treadmill and made a note on his iPhone though he knew he could never forget.

Returning home from the hospital, he stopped at shops and purchased the most beautiful red roses he had ever seen. Very happily, he presented the roses to Anita as soon as he entered the house.

Anita was pleasantly surprised. She was ecstatic. But this lasted only for a moment.

Suddenly Anita could not decide whether to scream or laugh at her husband. She did not know if to howl or hug her husband. She was angry yet delighted. She felt frustration and elation at the same time.

She smothered her mixed feelings and asked, “What is this?”

Happily Ajay replied, “Thought and effort. I got perfect red roses for you.”

Anita looked at him slightly exasperated and asked, “How about results? Are you sure about roses?”

Puzzled Ajay could not figure out any flaw in his perfect gift, “What is wrong? You don’t seem happy.”

Instead of Anita, Ajay’s daughter replied, “Dad, these are artificial roses. Mom hates plastic flowers.”

Dear Readers: - I will let you decide the fiction and non-fiction part of this story. Just a hint, I had dinner with Ajay last weekend.

Saint Valentine : Villain Valentine

“What is the date tomorrow?” My wife asked early in the morning.

Hoping to keep my morning trouble free, I recollected her birthday and wedding anniversary, “We have plans for your birthday next month and our wedding anniversary was last month.”

“Don't you watch TV?” She stated with sarcasm.

Luckily an advertisement with Valentine Day Sale interrupted the morning news. In my mind I cursed retailers for constantly broadcasting Valentine Day sales but managed a reply, “Oh Valentine Day! I know. I am not a big fan of Valentine Day. Let us start following our Eastern culture a bit.”

“Okay. FINE”

First ten days of married life teaches the real meaning of ‘FINE’ and I have been married for more than ten years. Ignoring ‘FINE’ can be fatal. I decided to pick a Valentine Day gift from the nearest mall after my daughter’s tennis.

At the Tennis Court, our family friend Ajay suggested that I pick up the same gift for his wife Anita and he could watch kids while I was at mall. I liked his idea of saving time and I purchased two identical Gucci Perfumes wrapped in red paper and handed one to Ajay. We had no idea what was coming up next.

On Valentine Day, we got together with Ajay, Anita and their kids at Cheese Cake Factory for dinner.

“Ajay got me a beautiful perfume for Valentine Day,” Anita started, looking unusually happy.

“I got perfume three years in row now,” my wife replied.

“I really like what Ajay got me and the best part is he thought about it. Thought and effort both! And I don't even know when he purchased,” Anita said cheerfully.

Ajay, pleased with his action added waving hand at me, “At tennis yesterday, I took care of kids and he went to the mall. That is when he purchased one for himself and one for me.”

Anita paused. The fork in her hand would not move. Radiance on her face turned into rage. Controlling her anger, she asked Ajay, “So you asked your friend to pick up a gift.”

Failing to notice the change in her tone, Ajay replied, “Yes. I asked him to pick up two perfumes instead of one.”

Anita continued, “So you did not decide the gift.”

“I paid for it and it was just convenient if he picked up,” Ajay said stressing the word paid.

“So you just paid for it. Nothing more. You return tomorrow,” Anita clearly annoyed but still hiding the anger.

“I thought you really liked it. What is wrong now?”

“Because you did not think about it,” she replied but unable to control anger now.

To diffuse the situation, my fiercely feminist wife could only come up with a cliché, “Men do not have common sense.”

Anita replied, “Common sense, they have no sense.”

Wife is always right. For a spur of moment, I lost my sanity and forgot this fundamental principle and said, “We just divided the tasks.”

“Oh buying a Valentine gift is a task now and that I had to remind you yesterday.”

While I think of a reply, my daughter and her friend (Ajay’s daughter) became my guardian angels, “Parents, please argue at home. People can hear us.”

It was perfect opportunity to undo my mistake, “Yes. I completely agree. It is an expensive restaurant. I want to enjoy food.”

“But dad, we have a new name for you,” my daughter said.

“What is that?”

“You are exact opposite of Saint Valentine. So your name should be Villain Valentine.”

Dear Readers: - I will let you guess the factual or fictional part of the story. But more importantly please comment your view on the moral of the story and what happened to perfume that Ajay bought (sorry paid).