No, Hallmark has not attempted to institute an extra mid-summer Valentine’s Day, although I wouldn’t put it past them. They did invent Sweetest Day, after the name “VD 2” fell a bit flat in test markets.
I just have a good Valentine’s Day story to tell you, in relation to my Tie du Jour. It’s got intrigue. It’s got funny. It’s got mystery. It’s got velvet handcuffs. It’s got…What’s that? Yes, I did indeed write the phrase “velvet handcuffs,” and no I’m not looking to up my readership by putting in key search terms. This story has it all…
Once upon a tie, there was a preschool, and all the good little boys and the good little girls were taught by good grownup girls and one good grownup boy.
Okay, Aesop, enough of the storybook stuff…that grownup boy is I. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned, I taught preschool for a couple of years here in Evanston. I had about 23 female co-workers, all of whom I simply adore. Many of them were Julia’s teachers, at one point or other, so we all had great relationships. A very fun group…some who have grandkids and some who are my age and some who are younger. And, um, some who are, well, really, um, pretty.
Well, you know how a lot of offices have Secret Santa? We had, for some reason, Secret Valentine’s. So, to cut to the chase…about a week before Valentine’s, I get a bottle of champagne. Then a cookie. Then a pair of boxers. With hearts all over them. At that point, I decided that I needed to tell Diane. While I’m sure she appreciated my telling her, she had a pretty serious laugh about the impropriety of it all, and how, in the corporate world, something like this would hardly be tolerated. I swore up and down that I had no idea who was sending me these items d’amour.
And, then, the red velvet handcuffs. With accompanying red feather tickler (of course, you nod, what pair of handcuffs comes withOUT a tickler?). Definitely not items d’amour. Items de lust. Great. So, at this point I’m hoping and praying that this is a cumulative, group effort, due to my being the sole male teacher. At this point, Diane was being a good sport, and was really looking forward to February 15th.
Oh, and that group effort thing? No. Such. Luck. It was Janet, a very [clear throat] pretty teacher.
The End.
So, you get all that story, to lead you to the fact that Janet (still a very good friend of mine) was kind and sweet enough to give me another gift, all these years later. My Tie du Jour!
And what a cool tie it is! Very mod, very vintage, with paisleys swimming all over the place, and a cool blue tip. Janet found it at Factory Vintage Clothing (aka Viva Vintage) on Chicago Avenue here in Evanston.
It’ll be another herald to Mad Men Tie Week, July 26-30, just over 10 days away.
Well, thanks for reading…Brooke
100 Days, 100 Ties 
July 17, 2010 at 6:47 am |
Two of your cousins got married on the “sweetest day” and only one of them is divorced now.