"You've got two Valentine's boxes, Nebby," my roommate said. "Who are they from?"

(Didn't I say yesterday that they'd both arrive the same day? I was taking poetic license, didn't realize it'd be true.)

In box number one: a blue Nalgene bottle of literature, blue bandana, a memory stick full of songs, a guitar pick, a pack of cards, two photos, a pottery mug, and two Snickers.

My roommates saw me open the box and laughed at the seemingly random items. I told the story of each piece, down to the newspaper wrapped around the mug.

The blue bandana and Nalgene bottle, because blue is my favorite color, because I own books by all the authors listed on the bottle; the Snickers because he bought them for me and we'd eat them late at night listening to music; the guitar pick becuase I've always wanted to learn guitar; the weather page because it's a running joke with his dad and me.

"He put a lot of thought into that." My roommate examined the jump drive. "Nice," she said.

I explored the files--all songs, many that we'd listened to along with some new ones he's sure I'll love.

"I miss you, I miss being overwhelmed by you. And I need rescue. I think fading away...so I wait and I wait, and I run old scenes through my tired head..." (Sister Hazel, Best I'll Ever Be, on the memory stick)

I put the box aside and opened the next package. Just under the packing peanuts was a red rose, still as fragrant as the day it was cut.

Also under the packaging hid three, small heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, a teddy bear wearing a straight jacket accompanied by a silly note from the Lovesick Association of America, and a poem.

"...I have found what others long for
My true love." (The final line in the poem.)

I laughed at the irony. You know the type--the type that's removed, that you hear in a theater at the most inevitable twist of events. The "I knew it would happen that way, but, damn, if this isn't too much" guffaw.

"I want to be everything except for your mistake. ... Without you I'm not right, I'm not fine ... " (Sister Hazel, Your Mistake)

"At least you know you're loved!" my roommate said cheerily.