Are you good enough?

Sally and I were grocery shopping today. One whole aisle of the store is set aside for Valentine's candy, cards, gifts. Sally observed, "Look at all the people buying Valentine goodies, and today is Valentine's day."

I observed, "All of them are men."

Most men, for all the things we do well, do not do romance well. It really doesn't come naturally to many of us. Sally is so used to it that she doesn't expect me to buy her anything for Valentine's Day, and I don't disappoint her. However, this year I gave her a card, and she gave me nothing. A marriage in trouble? Naw, just a couple of people who after four decades understand each other.

Leading up to Valentine's Day Sally and I commented on TV commercials touting expensive jewelry and presents for the day. I shake my head at this stuff...how many times a year are we expected to give our sweeties something special? Christmas, Valentine's Day, birthday, Mother's Day. The candy companies, florists and jewelry stores make a killing. I'm just contrary, I guess. I will not be told by a candy company, florist or jeweler when it's time to buy my wife a present just so they can improve their bottom line for a phony buying holiday at my expense.

I'm all for giving my wife something nice when there is a real reason, a birthday or Christmas. Everything else is programmed into us so businesses can make money off a sweetheart's expectation of getting a present.

I saw a lady on the Today Show peddling her book on "Mister Good Enough." She says when you can't find Mister Right, settle for Mister Good Enough. She told of a survey conducted with men and women on dating. Like, what would be a deal breaker on a second date; what would cause a woman or man not to want a second date with someone? Men listed three reasons (not given during the interview), and women had THREE HUNDRED REASONS NOT TO GO ON A SECOND DATE! In other words, women are just too damn picky.

I'll bet one of those reasons is, "He didn't give me flowers/candy/jewelry on Valentine's Day." I'd be out in the cold with a woman like that. I wouldn't be Mister Good Enough, I'd be more like Mister No Good, Not Enough.