Postscript to Valentine's Day: Remembering the Valentines of my youth

Chocolates were most welcome. 

My most memorable gifts received during the Valentine's Days of my youth were not chocolates similar to this (photo), (though these were most welcome) but these three gifts, enumerated below. Memories of these gifts and the giver always bring a blast from the past feeling  to my middle aged heart and a youthful glow to my chinky eyes.

1. Stolen native roses of the faintest pink from a neighbor's garden with a typewritten note in a pink stationery of the verse/poem Song of Songs. Rating : Passed with flying colors.

2. A wilted rosal flower. When I asked why it was so? The Hare krishna member/admirer told me that the wilted flower was of the very special kind and so precious because the flower was picked from flowers already offered to the Lord Krishna. (Wherever you are now. Thank you!). I still remember the unusual braided hair from his bald head. Almost bald except for this braid.  The smell of incense clinging on his saffron robe is still as fresh today as yesterday. The sense of scent has a powerful memory. Rating : Impressed with plus points for interestingness.

3. A potted rose with flowers of the native kind. In a clay pot the nerdy suitor surprised me with the bulky potted rose almost panting from carrying the poor plant at my doorstep. That was really unexpected. Did not know how to react upon seeing the potted rose with flowers but had no way to decline the offering. Thus, the poor potted rose remained in our porch. The next day was a different story. He came back telling me that his mother was looking for the potted rose, he had to return it at once or he'd be the recipient of the fury from her irate mom! Rating: Amused with earned points for originality :)