Last Minute Advice

Bert sat back on his stool and watched the harried faces of the men and women in the shop. It was February 13^th, and the procrastinators were out in droves. They all looked completely lost and panicked. He smiled to himself. This was his time to shine.

He caught the eye of a man looking at the predictable and boring heart shaped chocolate samplers. He waved the poor soul over to his stool. The man nodded with desperate hope and hurried to Bert’s corner.

“Can you help me? I need to get something for my girlfriend. I forgot all about Valentine’s Day. She’s going to kill me.”

Bert nodded sagely. “Have you forgotten before?”

The man’s cheeks tinted red. “Yeah. Last year I lost track of the time. The Super Bowl was the day before and I was hosting the party with all my friends. The next morning, she had this really nice card for me and tickets to a concert for the band I loved. It was so embarrassing.”

Bert nodded silently.

“She didn’t even get mad. She said she understood. I can’t mess this up again. Not two years in a row. But work was busy this week and time got away from me.”

“Well, this is going to take a little more sentiment from you. Get her a card. Something that speaks to her. Is she a funny girl or a romantic type? Like sports or crafty things?”

“Total romantic. She reads romance novels and watches all the movies. She watches Pride and Prejudice at least once a month.”

Bert grinned. “A sweet romantic lady. Wonderful. Here’s what you want to do. Get a bundle of those chocolate roses. Pick the flavors she likes. None fo this works if you get her white chocolate and she hates it.”

The man nodded quickly in desperation. “She likes white and dark chocolate. No nuts. Can’t stand them.”

Bert patted his shoulder. “See? You know your girl. Now, you’re going to take those roses and make a trail of it to your bathroom…” He pointed at him. “That you’re going to clean spotless.”

“Yes, sir,” he said emphatically.

“We have some new bath stuff this year. Get her that chocolate covered strawberry scented bubble bath. Draw her a nice hot bath with candles and a plate of the little gourmet chocolates.”

“She’ll love that,” he whispered.

“Then you can take her out to the restaurant you picked out. Hopefully, not too early reservation time. You want her to have time to get ready.”

The young man’s eyes grew large in horror. “Reservation? Oh, no.”

Bert eyes the man. “You didn’t make a reservation?”

His shoulders dropped. “I forgot. Nothing will be available now.”

“Do you cook?”

He nodded hesitantly. “I do. It’s nothing special though.”

Bert shrugged. “Well, you can order her favorite meal. Have it delivered while she’s in the bath and put it on a plate and set the table. Get her a card and have it setting at her place in the table.

“For dessert, you can get those chocolate covered strawberries. They are popular for a reason, but if you want to step up the game, we have a French silk pie with chocolate covered fruits on top-strawberries, pineapple, kiwi and such. It’s about as decadent as you can get.”

“That sounds amazing,” he breathed.

“You get her that. Put on one of her favorite movies that you usually leave her to watch on her own. And that son, is a perfect night.”

The young man grinned. “It’s so perfect.”

Bert grinned, “Go tell those ladies up front what you need, and that old Bert sent you. They’ll get you all set.”

He man shook his hand and ran to the front of the store.

Bert sat back grinning. That young man would be winning the night for sure. The plan would definitely make u-p for the last year.”

“Impressive,” he heard from the side.

Bert turned to see a forty something year old man leaning against the wall. “Thank you.”

“So, are you the Valentine whisperer?”

Bert shrugged. “I’ve been here several years. I like trying to find unique ideas. Got a challenge for me?”

The man smiled. “Sure, what would you suggest for my wife? Think you can find something special for her?”

Bert took in the man’s nice suit and expensive watch knowing he could buy her some trinket without a thought. “Bet I can.”

The man smiled. “What do you got?”

Bert tugged his ear. “Let me ask, what did she get you?”

The man sighed. “Matching kayaks. I’ve been talking about it for a long time but just never bit the bullet. I keep putting it off with work and stuff. She bought two so we could go together, that way I won’t put it off all the time. She knows I can’t say no to her.”

“Damn good wife you got there.”

He nodded. “That she is. She snuck them into the house last night and thinks I didn’t see.” He laughed. “Like I would miss two kayaks hidden in our spare room. But I will play along.”

“As you should. Now I am guessing you don’t have time to go out and find her something as special.”

The man nodded. “Not really. The trouble is, she doesn’t enjoy the typical things men get their wives for Valentine’s Day. She hates flowers, says she doesn’t like something that you just watch wilt away.  She likes simple jewelry and has all the pieces she ever wanted. She only wears her wedding ring most days.”

Bert nodded thinking. “So, you can’t just phone it in. Diamond bracelet and some roses.”

The man shook his head. “Nope. Now, she would tell me she loved them and smile. She’s the kindest person I’ve ever met. But it would hurt her feelings deep down if I did the basic gifts like that.”

“Because you didn’t listen to her.”

He smiled. “Exactly.”

“Well, son, what you gotta do is find the opposite balance with her.”

He stepped forward looking intrigued. “How do?”

“She got you a something you love and with it, she got you time with her and time away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life.”

He nodded. “True.”

“She’s showing you how much she loves you. You can tell her how much you love her.”

“Damn,” he breathed. “You are good.”

Bert grinned. “It’s what I do. Now, here’s what you need. There are some new chocolates we got in this year that are shaped like letters. You can write out all the god qualities you see in her. Caring, loving, funny, all that.”

The man smiled. “She’d love that.”

“Then you make her some hot cocoa, and spend the evening on your porch or balcony or whatever you got.”

“We have a firepit out back that she loves. I don’t go out there enough.”

Bert smiled. “Perfect. Get those smores making kits we got here and spend all night just being with her. Laugh, love, enjoy. She’ll love it. Oh, and put the phone away. Be present all evening.”

The man shook his hand. “Thank you. I was kidding before but you just gave my wife the best Valentine’s ever.”

Bert just smiled. “You go them Bert sent you for those things and they will help you out. Make sure you pick some words with ‘R’ in them. It’s an orange chocolate flavor. My favorite.”

“Will do.”

Bert sat back watching another satisfied customer run off to make the day great for their spouse. He checked around the room for anyone else looking lost or overwhelmed.

He zeroed in on a harried looking man staring blankly at the rows of cards. His hair was sticking up like he has ran his hands through it stressfully several times that day. He was in a wrinkled shirt with what Bert hoped was baby spit up on his shoulder. Bert knew a new father when he saw one.

He flagged down the young man and got him over to his stool.

“You doing ok, son?”

He nodded. “Yes, sir. I need a card for my wife. She said it better be good.”

Bert raised his brows. “She sent you out for it specifically?”

He nodded. “Yeah, she said I had to do good this year or I’ll be sleeping on the couch until next Valentine’s Day. Can she do that?”

The man looked completely exhausted and in way over his head.

“How old is your new baby?”

The man gasped. “How?” He stopped and just shook his head. “A\two weeks ago.”

“Then yep, she gets to kick you to the couch if she wants.”

He man looked dejected. “I knew it.”

“Don’t worry, son. I’ll help you out. “

He simply stepped forward and hugged him. “Thank you.”

“I am guessing your wife is not up for going out and doing anything that will take getting dressed up.”

“Oh no, she said that she’s not changing out of her leggings and if I have a problem with that, I can shut up. She’s usually really nice, I swear. We just haven’t gotten much sleep lately.”

“Yeah, those first few months with a baby are a challenge.”

“It’s not just us?”

Bert shook his head. “No way. They say the first year is the toughest. Little sleep, priorities changing. It’s hard. You just gotta make sure you take time to show each other you still love each other and like each other.”

He ran his hand through his hair sticking it up more. “I can do that.”

“Now, she sent you for the card but you need to go a little bit bigger since she just birth your child. That’s hard work, son.”

He nodded. “I want to. I just forgot it was February.”

Bert chuckled. “Understandable. Now, you go get a card that is serious and all about how much you love her. No humor ones. She wants you to show her you are grateful for all she’s doing now. She’s got them hormones going through her so you need to ride them with her with patience.”

He nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Now after you get the card, you go up front and tell them Bert wants you to get a new mom basket. It’s  got a chocolates, a rice pad that can be heated or cools, some cocoa you can serve her in bed, cute little book for the baby about candy. They’ll put everything in a little basket for you and make it looked really nice. And if you see anything else you think she will like, you can add it in.”

The young man smiled. “I want to get her those strawberry chocolates. We had them at our wedding.”

Bert nodded approvingly. “You go tell them what you need, and you will go home a successful husband and father.”

The man practically sprinted to the front of the shop.  

He spent the rest of the day heling others and just enjoying the chaos of the day before Valentine’s Day. He wanted men and women pick out gifts for the people they loved. He never minded last minute shoppers. Some people just aren’t planners. No problem with that. He’d give them all his ideas and send them home hopefully to happy husbands and wives. He loved his job. And the pay wasn’t too bad either.

As he was clocking out, his manager came up and patted his shoulder.

“How’s your day, Bert?”

He smiled at her. “Not too bad. I love working commission on a day like this.”