2009
It’s all very well telling these stories, but there’s a touch of smug self-satisfaction about people in love. Or perhaps it’s just me. I don’t get ‘romance’. Here’s what I wrote to a friend recently on this very subject:
Romance, as portrayed by marketers and calendars, is a perversion. Buying extortionately priced roses and cramming into a restaurant full of people who only eat out once a year is nonsense. St Valentine’s Day should be like every other day, no more and no less, because every day with a partner should have an element of love in it, whether that’s spending quiet time together, exchanging glances, sharing a private joke, holding hands, laughing, teasing, cuddling, saying “I love you”, giving a surprise little gift, writing a note, drawing a picture, massaging, pampering or whatever. I don’t mean this in a sickly way, but in fun, enjoyable ways so that you both remember why you’re together in the first place.
I don’t want someone who expects roses. I want a best friend.
Hi assonance. It seems to me that you do ‘get’ romance. Indeed, you get it all too well. Your post suggests that you’re currently single. I hope you find someone who has the same deeper understanding of romance as you, who appreciates those little touches and who doesn’t expect extravagant gestures once a year.