MY VALENTINE DAY.

                        I was as usual on the parapet wall of the beach at midnight. This time I was fuming and fretting. I didn’t care to see the full moon bathing the silver sands with kindly light or feel the soothing cool sea breeze or hear   the gentle whisper of the calm sea.

                        I was there because she had a headache. Headaches cause Domino effect. The small protruding nail on the left small toe, the slightly twisted right earlobe and the small black spot of birthmark next to her navel came into sharp focus magnified several times.

                        I remembered the day twenty years ago when she almost ruined my white ceremonial dress by spilling vermillion powder. Fortunately no damage was done as she blew it away carefully. Ten years back she spilt coffee on my Gucci shoes as I was going for an all important meeting. Even last year she had  almost ruined my Armani Jacket by putting her lipstick on the lapel and put the blame on me for not bending when she wanted to kiss wishing me good luck. Headache, Blah! I had no way to cancel the roses that I ordered to be delivered first thing in the morning. I wondered what to do with the sugar free chocolates that I got especially from USA for her and kept carefully to surprise her. My head kept spinning with thoughts mostly negative and I wanted to share my agony of a romance that soured. Then I heard some music on my left.

                        “Will you be my Valentine?” An oft heard question but delivered sweetly with a lilting voice. I turned and found a beautiful damsel gorgeously dressed in white and sporting lustrous shoulder length black locks. She had a face that could launch thousand ships and a smile that shone like a beacon. The few words she spoke were as captivating as her body.

                        I almost said “of course with pleasure” but checked myself and asked “Who are you anyway?”

                        “Can’t you see? I am an angel.”

                        “What are you doing sitting next to me at this hour?”

                        “I was flying high when I saw a TDH fellow sitting all alone on this heavenly beach on the eve of the Valentine Day. I couldn’t bear to see the sight as my heart ached. Look at the beautiful moon, the clear sky, the gentle breeze, the calm sea and the flight of the birds. It is almost heavenly and you are sitting looking lost and forlorn. Here I am to rekindle your love and refresh the romance. Remember romance makes the world go round. Romance is in the air right now thick and fast and I do not know why you are oblivious of it.”  

                        “You are speaking like an angel and looking like an angel. With you sitting next to me, I find the beauty in the night, the beach and everything around. I even hear night birds singing and find melody in their song. I can feel the romance all around but my own romance seems to have cooled off.”

                        “Yes all these birds are returning to their nest. Now you are feeling the romance for I spread it in the air for your sake. Just breathe in the romance.”

                        “How did you know that I was lovesick?”

                        “Even from the celestial heights you looked like a Romeo pining for his Juliet.”

                        “My Juliet is at hand. I am not pining for her. I am just a bit angry with her right now.”

                        “I am surprised that just for a few minutes of anger you let your romance of lifetime cool off. It is most unlike you.”

                        “Tell me one thing. Do you get headaches?”

                        “I am an angel and speaking of romance and you ask me about headaches. I heard that you go round calling yourself Romeo square.”

                        “Yes that is my name and I am not blowing my own trumpets.”

                        “If you are a Romeo square why don’t you be my Valentine?”

                        “Look. You didn’t answer my question. Do you get headaches?”

                        “Why of course we get headaches sometimes too often to our liking. There are many fellows who give us headaches. Right now even you are beginning to give one.”

                        “Are you sure that angels also get headaches?”

                        “Of course, positively, I am confirming that from my personal experience.”

                        “Thanks a lot for dispelling my doubts.”

                        “Where are you running?”

                        “To be with my own angel as she has a headache and I must put some soothing balm on her and say a few kind words.”

                        “Where is she? I don’t see anyone around? How about being my Valentine.”

                        “Go find another TDH. There are plenty of Casanovas and many a Don Juan in this city. I must attend to my own angel. I thought she was not an angel because she had a headache. I wonder how she is now.” I ran at full speed that belied my years.