Bright Light Cafe - Short Story

The Bouquet

There I was, Valentine’s Day, 7PM, at the florist. Even with the reminder note sitting on my passenger seat, I didn’t notice it again until I’d pulled into my garage, after driving home from work a few minutes earlier. I restarted the car immediately and rushed out to buy flowers.

Arriving home empty-handed on Valentine’s Day would be bad enough, but it’s also our 40th wedding anniversary.

The small flower store is crowded with anxious, flustered men, obviously lovers, boyfriends and husbands, like me, no different than the ones on any late Christmas Eve shopping for their last minute gifts, also like me.

Professionally arranged blooms, sprays, corsages, and nosegays are seductively displayed on racks in the aisle and sitting on shelves covering two walls. More are behind the glass doors of a refrigerated showcase that reminds me of another store with similar cases containing ice cold beer.

Returning my focus to the task at hand, I notice perfectly-formed roses amid baby’s breath seem to be the favorite of most of the customers in line. Two busy sales clerks carefully wrap each purchase in shiny metallic paper, tissue or cellophane. Some are boxed, gift-wrapped and sealed with colorful ribbons and bows. Others are carefully placed in glass vases. Each transaction includes a free card to personalize for the lucky lady along with a special bonus coupon for the next visit.

From the collection of cards I pick one that has a design of musical notes that says, “This Bouquet ~ The Perfect Poem” with a space to write words of my own, pen a whimsical rhyme or scribble in a quick “I love you, Happy Anniversary” and sign my name.

While checking choices, options and prices, I reflect on our life together, husband and wife these past 40 years. I calculate the ten minute search for the present, maybe two minutes to choose a card, a five minute wait in line, another two minutes to pay and about one minute to be out the door. Total time: 20 minutes for 40 years.

I made my decision and bought a boxed orchid corsage. On the way home I use my cell phone to confirm tonight’s reservation at our favorite restaurant, thankful I booked it in advance early last month.

Sitting in the driveway, as I search for poetic words to put on the card, I am reminded me that 40 years is not a dozen long-stemmed roses accompanied by a catchy stanza of rhyme. Forty years is a garland of intimate memories woven into a wreath of symbols, metaphors mingled and mixed, bunched and bundled through time. It is our garden where the commonplace, the exotic and the rare are tended and nurtured, to be gathered into a special bouquet of love.

How did it go, our 40th anniversary date?

Dinner Theater

into the menu smiling
cheeks reflect candlelit
white tablecloth islands
amid the carpeted scurry
of busboys and waiters
in the backdrop of our night

tinkling laughter and ice cubes
accompany depths of conversation
overheard yet unheard
from couples in quorum
around the raised platform
at the center of the room

noises diminish with
dimming lights as
all eyes are drawn
to the spot center-stage
except mine
which remain upon you

Happy Valentine's Day

Anniversary Bliss...
Shelly Wilkerson
Buy This at Allposters.com

Kerry Lynn United States
"I sit quietly propped up in my bed, knees up to my chest, a book open.....small but noticable.
I peruse the well chosen words penned by a wonderful friend and I smile, giggle, dive in thought, cry and remember...
Love anything you write, Carlie!!!"