I have been called onto the carpet by a male friend of mine who took offense (or something a little less than offense) when I said Valentine's Day was all about the ladies. He said it should be about celebrating a relationship. Yeah, yeah, maybe so. But in reality the woman wants to make sure the guy is into them and the guy wants to make sure he doesn't fuck it up.
Maybe I am jaded from not having had a romantic gesture thrown my way in 10 years. Literally, when my X and I were at the end of our marriage we discussed my needs (we didn't discuss his because when I asked what they were he said he didn't have any) and one of them was romance. I mentioned he hadn't been romantic in years.
X said "What about the time I gave you that flower I made out of a pencil?"
"Dear," I said, "that was in 1996. Before we were married."
He thought for a second and hung his head sheepishly. My point was made.
I always thought I was a bad guy for that being the only romantic gesture I could remember. Turns out, it was the only romantic gesture either of us could remember. Because it was the only one. You know what romantic gestures I did for him? After 2 years being Dungeons and Dragons free I walked into a comic book/gaming store and asked the guys behind the counter if they knew of any games my X could join. Not a lot of women over 21 enter those stores alone let me just tell you. I also brought him and his gamer friends cake and milk on X's birthday since he was spending it at a gaming store playing D&D for the evening. A total surprise. You know what I did on my birthday? I made reservations for myself because he never did.
Yes, romance runs both ways. Unfortunately for me it was a one way street. Unfortunately for Friendster Guy I now have issues. I am trying to remember that Friendster Guy is not my X. But I also don't want to get screwed. (Well... not in the negative way anyway.)
Maybe I am jaded from not having had a romantic gesture thrown my way in 10 years. Literally, when my X and I were at the end of our marriage we discussed my needs (we didn't discuss his because when I asked what they were he said he didn't have any) and one of them was romance. I mentioned he hadn't been romantic in years.
X said "What about the time I gave you that flower I made out of a pencil?"
"Dear," I said, "that was in 1996. Before we were married."
He thought for a second and hung his head sheepishly. My point was made.
I always thought I was a bad guy for that being the only romantic gesture I could remember. Turns out, it was the only romantic gesture either of us could remember. Because it was the only one. You know what romantic gestures I did for him? After 2 years being Dungeons and Dragons free I walked into a comic book/gaming store and asked the guys behind the counter if they knew of any games my X could join. Not a lot of women over 21 enter those stores alone let me just tell you. I also brought him and his gamer friends cake and milk on X's birthday since he was spending it at a gaming store playing D&D for the evening. A total surprise. You know what I did on my birthday? I made reservations for myself because he never did.
Yes, romance runs both ways. Unfortunately for me it was a one way street. Unfortunately for Friendster Guy I now have issues. I am trying to remember that Friendster Guy is not my X. But I also don't want to get screwed. (Well... not in the negative way anyway.)
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