This is a Valentine’s Day Story. Some Valentine’s Day stories are romantic. Some Valentine’s Day Stories are humorous. Some Valentine’s Day Stories are tragic. This is none. It is the story of a poor fellow on Valentine’s Day.
It was February 14, 2007. The city was Rochester, NY. For those who remember, they will recall the record snow that fell that day. 21 inches of snow piled up in Rochester, disabling the Upstate New York city.
Along with the city, I decided it was unsafe to drive. I did not take my beloved out to dinner. Instead, we ordered Chinese delivery.
When the Chinese delivery man arrived, I looked at him, covered in snow. His hat was white, his gloves too. Snow was piled on his boots. He wore two coats and a pair of snow pants. From behind a scarf, which covered his face, peered two dark eyes.
Those eyes were all I could see of the man. They were all I knew. He never said a word to me, but his eyes told a story.
They were deep and dark. They were not angry, but were intense. They were heavy-hearted, but still had joy. They wanted to as a question, but were afraid of the answer. They cried out, silently telling my his Valentine’s Day story.
This man had done what I would not do. He had brought me dinner, when I would not take my beloved out. He was working, while I took the day off. He had driven in that snow, when I would not.
Why did he do this? What did his eyes say? They told me what his mouth could not.
He was frightened, but why? Was his car about to break down in the blizzard? Had he run off the road, while delivering my food? Had he been in an accident?
Why was he working, and not with the one he loved on this Valentines Day? Could he not afford to take a day off? Did he have no one to spend time with? Had he known no one in his life? Or did his beloved just end their relationship? Perhaps she passed away on an even more fateful Valentine’s Day. His heart was heavy, and yet he was there.
His eyes asked, although he never wanted to know. Scott, do you know what I did for you? I never knew you, yet I came. I was scared, yet I drove. I worked, so you don’t have to. I feel, but as you do this Valentine’s Day. Scott, I’m afraid of the answer, and don’t want to ask. Are you thankful for what I’ve done?
I never answered that poor fellow.