valentine's day

ok, i know it's been awhile, but without any long run-down....life has been busy!
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happy belated valentine's day.

five years ago, Jarronn and i shared our first valentine's day together. we were just friends at the time. or friends who liked each other but didn't say anything. in the weeks leading up to valentine's day, i had thought about him but didn't really see how any plans with him would materialize. then, a week or so before v-day, Jarronn sent me an email. i had lost one of our series of spongebob taboo games when we had been snowed in, and he wanted to "help me" pay back my debt. since i owed him dinner, he suggested that we visit a restaurant that was offering a three-course meal for two at some special price. he noted that the special was being offered on february 14, but didn't mention anything about valentine's day. how convenient.

he took care of the reservations. and we drove up to montclair after work. we sat at a little table and on little stools. we were incredibly close to the two couples sitting on both sides of us. so close, that we spent most of the dinner listening to the conversation of the couple to my left. it seemed to be one of their first dates, and the guy was incredibly into himself. he seemed to use the phrase, "but that's just me," at least a dozen times. Jarronn was totally engrossed. and we'd end up using that same phrase with each other years later.

after dinner, Jarronn gave me a jar of mini reese's peanut butter cups (my favorite candy). with it was a poem he'd written for me. it was a plain white sheet of paper, with a border of red heart-shaped balloons. it read:

The Heart is like a jar, to be filled with individual pieces. I hope that yours is always filled with things that make you happy... JUST-LIKE-THESE-REESE's!!! - an original from P.J. aka Young Barack aka The Homeboy's Hitch


Jarronn insisted that i read the last line with his funny voice emphasis that only he could do. i was pretty tickled. and touched. and impressed that he had pretty much come up with the perfect gesture and gift, given the state of our relationship. more points for Jron.

the following year, Jarronn was living in maryland, and i was still in new jersey. he bought us tickets to see vivian green, common, and floetry at constitution hall. it was a great time, and i fell in love with this song.



in more recent years, we started the tradition of not going out at all. instead we'd cook for each other every february 14. he'd whip up a new recipe for dinner (his area of expertise). and i'd bake something for dessert from scratch (more of my thing). i think it was one of the best decisions we made. and one of my favorite traditions we shared.





i could say a lot about how i feel. what i miss. but today, i'll just say that i'm thankful that i can still feel Jarronn's love. that it transcends physical space and time. i wanted many more, but i'm thankful for the five wonderful v-days i got.