Here is another of those two-sentence stories with poetry added. Read here for the first one and explanation of why I wrote it and got started on this idea, and search under the category Minuscule for others in the series.
I have two stories for Valentine’s Day. Different aspects of the same day.
Frozen
Noon on Valentine’s Day and Mimi watched from the window as a tired-looking floral delivery man skidded his way up her icy sidewalk, shaking off the sleet collecting on the plastic wrap protecting pale pink blooms. She didn’t answer the door when he knocked, not the first time nor the second; after a moment he gently set the flowers, so carefully arranged in their glass vase, on the concrete step and walked away, the bright green stems magnified in water that would soon be frozen, the pink petals lifted up to the gray sky, exuberant and hopeful, unaware of how short a time they would remain so.
Some things can’t be fixed
Destroyed means gone forever
Please don’t break my heart
(Haiku 364)
1/9/18
Wonderful
The decorated shoeboxes sat on the desks as the second graders moved around the room delivering Valentine cards, dropping the envelopes through slots in the lids; new to the school, Jane had made cards for everyone, in great hopes of making friends, but did anyone remember her, the new girl, the quiet one, all right at kickball, better at reading?
Returning to her desk, she waited with the others for the teacher’s permission to open her box, looking at the pink and red hearts she’d scattered over its surface and avoiding any glimpse of its dark interior, determined not to show disappointment, so much so that when the signal was given and she lifted the top away, she could not at first take in the sight: the box was full.
Pink and red
messages travel.
The mailbox
gathers in
Valentines and affection.
Love by the handful.
(Shadorma 16)
2/6/18
Claudia McGill Writes Poetry, Did You Know That? 
I remember those Valentine boxes! I believe there was always a contest for the best one too. Get those competitive and anxiety-inducing juices flowing early…
I remember second grade the most – my mother took over making my box since I was not working up to standard, I think, and I felt ashamed of that. I do love Valentine’s Day otherwise, though, and I still have Valentines from those years (a few years ago they were displayed in our local library. Fifty + year old Valentines, if you can believe it).
Wow! What a wonderful treasure.
Both good stories, Claudia.
I’m glad the little girl (better at reading) had a full box. It was wonderful for her, and it made me happy. 🙂
Yes, when I was young we lived in an area that was growing rapidly, new kids all the time, and I always felt for them coming into our established society at school and trying to find their way.
Good valentine stories that bring back memories. My granddaughter had her box of valentines this morning. I hope she returns with a full box too.
I hope so too. Those little cards mean a lot.
That second story was very heartwarming. As someone who shepherded her children through being the very new and quite peculiar kids at school, I found that quite touching. As for the first story, I love the use of the flowers as a metaphor for the state of the (former) relationship.
Thank you. Where I grew up new people were moving in at a great rate and always new kids coming in to school. I always felt for them and tried to be welcoming in my small way. The flowers one, I reflected on the flowers as messenger and it’s not their fault the message is unwelcome, but they are blamed and punished. I feel for them, too.
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