Learning Curve | Joanne

Catch 22

"Could we schedule our next meeting for the 14th? Unless you have big plans with Dianne during the day?"

Joe looked across the desk at his manager. "Why would I?"

"Because it's Valentine's Day?"

Joe shook his head. "Nah, we both agree it's stupid. Neither of us are bothered."

Joe's manager laughed into his coffee cup before taking a sip. "That's what she's told you. Little tip, mate, get her some flowers at least, yeah? Better to be safe than sorry."

///

Valentine's Day had never meant anything to Joe. He hadn't dated anyone seriously in a long time, certainly not to the point where they would celebrate the 'day of love'. His understanding of what the day meant was mainly drawn from cartoons and movies; not the most realistic sources of information. Valentine's Day was a waste of time; a day of disappointing flowers, panic-bought gifts and soppy cards with kittens on the front, or anthropomorphic trains with heart-shaped steam that reads 'I Choo-Choo-Choose You!'.

Until now, Joe had never seen why people made such a big deal out of it. As far as he was concerned, if you love someone, you tell them every day. There doesn't need to be a designated one day a year to show your feelings to your significant other. He imagined, before he got a girlfriend, that he wouldn't need a day like that because he would make sure every day was special, and that whoever he ended up with knew how he felt about them all the time.

Slowly, however, as their relationship had blossomed, Joe's feelings had changed. He understood Dianne better now, understood women better. He realised that missing out on Valentine's Day while all the other couples celebrate it would be far worse for a relationship than simply biting the bullet and buying a bouquet of flowers and a nice box of chocolates.

///

After his meeting, Joe walked back to his apartment. As he pushed open the door, he realised he was home alone. Dianne was still out rehearsing and probably wouldn't be back for a few more hours. Settling down on the couch, he opened his laptop and began searching for flower deliveries, realizing that his manager was right: it was better to be safe than sorry.

The difficulty was that, despite his belief that Valentine's Day was a stupid event made up by card companies, chocolatiers and florists to make money, Joe loved spoiling his girlfriend. After years of being single, he found he wanted to lavish the one girl who could put up with him with gifts and special dates and random 'just because' presents; partly because he was madly in love with her, and partly to say 'thank you' for putting up with him for this long. Thinking back, he wasn't certain how convinced he was by Dianne's claim that she didn't like Valentine's Day.

Hearing the door click open, Joe closed his laptop and turned on the TV.

"What are you up to?" Dianne asked, chucking her bag down by the door as she walked into the room, peeling off her coat and kicking off her shoes to create a trail of her belongings behind her. "You're making me suspicious."

Joe laughed. "Sorry. I'd literally just put my laptop away, and I thought it would look weird if I was sat here without the TV on. I guess it looks weird anyway. Just the timing, though."

"Hmm" Dianne said, looking her boyfriend up and down. "I don't know if I should believe you."

Joe shook his head and patted the space next to him. "Stop playing detective and come here. Tell me about your day. I missed you."

///

"Di? Can I ask a question? No judgement?"

Dianne sat back and smiled. They had recently started using the phase 'no judgement' as a shorthand was of saying 'what I am about to ask might be really stupid. Or it might insinuate that I wasn't listening the first time you said it. Please give me a free pass and don't get mad.'