Be Mine

Valentine's Day reached its heyday in early elementary school, with the equitable yet emotionally charged distribution of the box of themed valentines from Rite Aid. Every kid in the class needed one, but there was a clear hierarchy; the silent politics of allocating which quality valentine to give to which peer was one of my first experiences of pure interiority.

The addition of wine and chocolate and jewelry adds complications that inadequately commemorate the phenomenon of romantic love. But I still like seeing the drug store transformed, the aisle of red plasticky crap filled with the potential to express our innermost feelings. "Of all the random stuff at Rite Aid, I chose the best random thing for you."