Like a Mad Man

#251: 5 hours before V-Day

And so here I am like a madman, calling all restaurants for a possible booking for tomorrow night. As if the good restaurants will have a special provision for people who don't plan, don't think, or haven't really bothered until the last minute. "Ah, yes, Mrs. Peters. There is a table with a wonderful view- and that has good visibility from all restaurant staff, that we have set aside just for you."

Logically, Valentine's day shouldn't be stressful at all. But here I am, illogical and freaking out.

I was actually quite fortunate to have gotten a booking for accomodations for one night. (Secured just an hour ago, thank you.) On a night like this, all power shifts to suppliers and they could charge you $600 per night for a minimum of two nights without any hint of searing in their consciences. And so here I am, victorious in my quest for a sweet cabin in the countryside (supposedly perfect for crap weather like what we have now) but with nowhere to go for dinner on V-day. I swear we would end up at some convenience store in the middle of nowhere buying sandwiches and chips. Boo.

So what is the fuss about V-Day? I don't know. I just know that while I tell myself that it shouldn't really mean that much if you let your partner know that you love him/her daily, I still expect it to be some sort of heart-melting evening (involving flowers, candlelight... good food... and now that I'm married, a good bedtime snuggle.) Dumb female.

I also know that my teammate is flying to Melbourne with her partner and going to a French restaurant for V-Day dinner. I also know that our copywriter started dropping hints to her hubby last week about wanting something romantic for Valentine's and now they're going to some luxury eco-lodge somewhere in the South Coast. (I also know I can't get a stupid booking!!!!)

When I was in school, V-day always seemed to fall during one of the days of our college fair. There would be booths and rides but most prominent of all, there would be flower stalls - red roses everywhere, balloons and what-not. I now know how such careless pre-conditioning can wreak havoc in the adult mind. I might say they were exploiting us children then. (Or exploiting our future partners.)

So I still don't know where I seem to have gotten the obsession for a beautiful Valentine's day. Call me irrational, unreasonable, sappy... (go on, give it your best shot). But darn it if I spend my V-day at home watching some direct-to-TV movie.

Back to my mad restaurant hunt.