Love Finds a Way

Lucius was not one to let February 14th slip by unobserved, and as he emerged squinting from the library, his rubbers pioneered their way through the slush to the Crimson Specialty Shop.

He was not unknown at the Shop, the scene of many little economics, and he smiled modestly at the salesman who was watching his progress to the Valentines rack. Glancing guiltily past those daring, jokey ones, he hovered over the "Personal" section.

His eyes fell sentimentally on a small card, whose simple words, "For My Loving Son," were framed in pale lilies. The Valentine he had received last year was just like it. They hadn't signed it, but Lucius was nobody's fool, and he knew it came from home. Getting right back to business, he slipped off his mittens and began searching through the cards.

The choice was by no means an easy one, for Lucius had not yet managed to speak to Miss Schroeder, and their relationship was rather undefined. But hesitation was foreign to him, and when he saw something he wanted he knew it. Moving repeatedly and swiftly through the cards, he came to the only one that would really do. It was executed in the form of a tasteful, red heart, the whole trimmed in fine doily. Inside was the legend,

"I'll be yours and you'll be mine Please, please do be my Valentine!"

Advancing to the counter, Lucius apologetically displayed his purchase, and after enduring the salesman's knowing wink, paid out the full price and withdrew.

Back on the third level stacks, with his books and clock and everything right there around him, he took out the card, letting the trim run once lightly between his fingers. In a flash it was licked securely in its protective envelope and Lucius was moving boldly into Miss Schroeder's neighbouring alcove, where he placed it devotedly among her papers.

Scarcely had he recovered his seat than he heard Miss Schroeder's flats approaching sharply 'along the stacks. He concealed his agitation and began to fill his pen just as if nothing had happened.

With rapid, metallic movements she took off her gloves and shoes and went to work. Lucius watched her athletic socks as they drummed suggestively on the floor. It was almost more than he could bear.

Suddenly one of her gloves, its short fingers outlined in yellow angora, fell to the floor. All Lucius had to do was stretch down and touch it, but Miss Schroeder, moving with a speed unnatural to her bulk, quickly retrieved it. And soon, after a moment of stillness, he heard a quiet, but unmistakable, "Oh!," and he knew it had really been worth it.