Tales of a “Tent Person”

Posted by jpwilliams on February 17, 2009

I was rather tired of being one of the “tent people” at valentines. What I am talking about is the evening of Valentines Day Eve or the morning of Valentines Day standing in that tent that Kroger and other stores setup in the parking lot for Valentines flowers, candy and gifts. Usually this tent is filled with men trying to get their wives or significant other a Valentines gift and flowers. I know, I know, we should plan things better. We can’t help it, it is just kinda encoded in our male DNA to wait until the last possible moment for that sort of thing. I usually do my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve as well.

Well this year I decided to move out of the tent! So about a week before Valentines Day I found a Hot Deal on our coupon site for 18 assorted roses with a box of chocolate delivered from 1-800 Flowers. Eureka!!! I can get my wife a beautiful assortment of roses AND chocolate and never have to worry about being a “tent person” again! So, I ordered the flowers and was even able to make it a delivery date of Valentines Day. I have never ordered flowers from a vendor like this before, I have once or twice in my life ordered FTD and that is what I was expecting this time. You know, the guy showing up about mid day in a little uniform with a vase of flowers, box of chocolate and a nice card written in a hand that is legible instead of my chicken scratch.

So Valentines Day came and I waited, and waited, getting in deeper and deeper as the day wore on. My wife thinking that I had neglected to buy her flowers and me not wanting to spoil the surprise when it came. About 6:45 PM I heard a thunk on the porch and opened the door in time to see the UPS driver running back down my sidewalk. I looked around and there was a box on the porch? I carried it inside where my wife was setting on the couch watching TV (not having a great deal to say to me since I had apparently forgotten Valentines Day) and opened the box. In side the box all wrapped separately was an absolutely beautiful arrangement of assorted colored roses and a box of chocolates. The “card” was kind of like a shipping label on the outside of the box. As I was trying to put everything together my wife was smiling as I was telling her “See, I didn’t forget. I just expected this earlier and didn’t want to spoil the surprise.” Being extremely happy that I was actually out of the dog house and back in the “He does try” category.

In the end she was very happy with the roses and knowing that I didn’t in fact forget. I will never have to be a “tent person” again. The mix up was entirely my fault, I should have asked around to find out how the flowers would be delivered instead of just assuming. I will however remember to have the flowers delivered the day before to my office so that I have time to put everything together and write a nice card, even in my chicken scratch.

Moral to the story,

When trying something new, make sure you know exactly what you’re doing.