Valentine, The Friend of Lovers

"It's like Oscar Wilde says. We regret only those things we didn't do."
-Christopher Bram
in his novel,
Surprising Myself

It was about one year ago that I was vacationing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Alan and I were dining at a restaurant on Valentine's Day 2008 called 'Patagonia Sur' with great friends (John & Pamela).
http://www.concierge.com/travelguide/buenosaires/restaurants/15365
While I was there a story was written, attached to the menu (which I kept). I thought it was suitable to share during this Valentine's week:

The legend says that in the city of Rome, in the years around 270AD there lived an Emperor named Claudius. He is known in history as Claudius the Cruel.

Near his palace was a beautiful temple where the priest Valentine served. The Romans loved him dearly and assembled in the temple to hear his words. War broke out in the Roman Empire. Claudius summoned the citizens forth to battle and year after year the fighting continued. Many of the Romans were unwilling to go. The married men did not want to leave their families. The younger men did not wish to leave their sweethearts. The Emperor was angry when soldiers were too few. He ordered that no marriages should be celebrated and that all engagements must be broken off immediately.

Now the good priest Valentine heard of the Emperor's command and was very sad. When a young couple came to the temple, he secretly united them in marriage in front of the sacred altar. Another pair sought his aid and in secret he wedded them. Others came and quietly were married. Valentine was the friend of lovers in every district of Rome.

But, such secrets could not be kept for long in Rome. At last word of Valentine's acts reached the palace and Claudius the Cruel was angry, exceedingly angry. He summoned his soldiers.
"Go! Take that priest in the temple! Cast him into a dungeon! No man in Rome, priest or not, shall disobey my commands!"

Valentine was dragged from the temple, away from the altar where a young maiden and a Roman youth stood, ready to be married, and the soldiers took him off to prison.

Many asked Claudius to release Valentine but Claudius refused to do so, and in a dungeon Valentine languished and died. His devoted friends buried him in the church of St. Praxedes. When you to got Rome you can see the very place.

It was the year 270AD, on the 14th of February.

Twenty-five years ago today:

February 11, 1984, Saturday

I worked from 9 to 5. It seemed like a waste of a Saturday with the reviewing of so many accounts--as far as I was concerned. I still made it 'fun'. I was thankful that the company supplied lunch for the worker-bees. The meal came from "Merrit's Chicken". The food kept me productive.

After the grueling work day I cruised on home and called Suzy. She wasn't home. I tried calling her mom's house.
"Oh Suzy went to Tahoe with the church group," Mrs. Miller said.
And so, I spoke to Michael Miller (Suzy's brother) and we decided to go to the UC Theater ourselves to see the 'Fanny & Alexander' film. It was a good show.

Michael Miller is amusing. He's very fun and makes me laugh with his impromptu statements. I think we both learned from 'Fanny & Alexander'. Childhood memories are precious; yet, some people can be 'rotten' (keeping in mind the cruelty of Alexander's step-father).

Michael Miller and I went to Barney's after the show. It was funny because we had intended to eat there but it was closed, so we just used the restroom. We began to talk to the lonely janitor on duty. The janitor treated us with two free slices of the cheesecake. We left for Nation's Giant Hamburgers on Webster Street in Alameda and enjoyed our milkshakes.

While in the 'burger joint' I noticed a stoner lookin' chick with her sleazy mother. Sometimes I wonder about people's lives. They looked particularly strange to me. It made my mind drift.

I dropped Michael home on Alameda Avenue. Driving home I thought how I would have to 'work off' the cheesecake and milkshake. I was soon in my cozy bed and fell fast asleep.