Sunday, February 14, 2010

I Hate Roses


Well... I don't really hate them - I'm just not that fond of them.
Most of the time the florists don't even remove the thorns anymore.
I can't think of a more hackneyed Valentine's gift.

My preference is for Gladiolas or Cala Lillies.

Every Valentine's day I make my run to deliver an inexpensive box of chocolates and a bouquet of Cala lillies or Gladiolas to the many women in my life.
No, not the women I "do" - but to aunts, cousins, neighbors and friends.
I'm not at all romantic, I just like to give women flowers and candy.

Once, while stuck in Honolulu over Christmas break - I gave roses to the hookers on Kalakaua on Christmas Eve wishing them each a "Mele Kalikmaka".
"Have a date?", was their reply.
"No, thank you.", was mine.
Every weekend after that, the women would come by and talk to me and thank me for my nice thoughts.
It was at this early age that I discovered the power of an unexpected flower.

As I've gotten older - Valentines Day has more to do with habit than it does with any form of romance.
Relationships have become more about a business merger than anything to do with romance.
I remember liking a girl because I liked the way she smelled.
Or smiled, or I liked her hair, or maybe even just her voice.
These days - most women are too easy.
There isn't even a need to court a girl anymore.
Most women don't even know how to wait for a guy to open a door, or have a guy take their arm while walking up a flight if stairs, or even receive a compliment without thinking that a guy wants something from them.

I'm really not all that cynical concerning Valentine's Day - all my women seemed to enjoy their candy and flowers.
But I think what they enjoyed the most was that someone thought of them.

6 comments:

FreeMan said...

Man you sound like me and that makes it hard because everyone is so damn predictable. TV is a mofo because they have scripted life for so many people it's a damn disease.

Roses are overrated and seem like a bare minimum effort. I myself usually try to get something a woman told me in passing or for my family something they want but would never get. Sometimes it's new carpets, or a breadmaker or even a ice cream machine. Roses make me feel bad because it means I wasn't paying attention.

meka said...

Interesting that you say women don't know how to be courted. My perspective is that men don't know how simply won't court a woman. I'm sure the truth is somewhere in between.

Great post!

meka said...

Interesting that you say women don't know how to be courted. My perspective is that men don't know how simply won't court a woman. I'm sure the truth is somewhere in between.

Great post!

Reggie said...

My wife prefers Godiva, so that's what I buy. She doesn't care very much for flowers, but still I buy roses or something. I've never picked up lilies, but they are very nice.

Funny story....once when I was dating my wife I looked for Godivas and they were sold out, so I just picked up some roses and a card. When she saw them she looked at me and said "I can't eat the flowers Reggie".

I think that one of the things that makes roses beautiful are the fact that they have thorns on them. There is a certain duality there that to me is beautiful John.

uglyblackjohn said...

@ FreeMan - Yeah, roses are the default gift.
They take no thought.

@ meka - Yeah many of our roles as men and women have become confused.
If I fly a girl to NOLA or Dallas for dinner - it's just a date.
Many see it as a big deal - but really they just happened to be around when I decided to go.

@ Reg - Really?
I hate when I get cheap roses with the thorns still on them.
It's odd - many people don't even notice when a better florist (not WalMart) has removed them.

doll said...

Roses from a drive-thru florist....a very lame expression of romance. Better just to get a simple text saying I am thinking of you.