John Hughes Must Have Been an Idealist

I just looked at my calendar and realized that next Thursday is Valentine’s Day (and my Golden Retriever’s 4th birthday). I was thinking that after almost 7 years of marriage and with new babies in the house, my spouse and I probably won’t do much to celebrate the occasion, romance takes a back burner when you are caring for an infant or infants.

This realization of Valentine’s and the lack of romance currently going on in our home made me think about my views on romance altogether. As a young whippersnapper my opinion of romance was shaped by the movies I watched. I was thinking today that I hope that Trouble doesn’t find herself basing real life romance on relationships she sees in the movies.

For example, a boy isn’t going to ask Amanda Jones for those diamond earrings back so he can give them to a tomboy who’s keen on bad haircuts and leather gloves. A boy isn’t going to change his bad boy ways to date the prom queen. A boy isn’t going to trash your prom and steal you away from your date and then escape with you in the limo your crummy boyfriend paid for. A boy isn’t going to stand outside your window playing Peter Gabriel. A senior jock isn’t going to dump his very attractive, party-loving girlfriend to date a funny looking sophomore whose own parents can’t remember her birthday.

Not any boy I know anyway.

I know I’ve become a cynic.

I have a girlfriend who thinks that things should be like they are in the movies, that life should imitate art. That a guy should fight for her at any cost. That a guy should shower her with diamonds and fancy chocolates. I may be a cynic but I am not a fool. A guy may buy you flowers, give you a shoulder to cry on and hold your hair back when you are sick but being unrealistic with your expectations is just going to hurt you and your chances for a nice relationship. What was so wrong with Duckie? I always thought he would be way better for Andy. In the long run, Blane would never have treated Andy as well as Duckie could have.

Just now my husband came home from work with a Cherry Coke and Munchos for me. That is just about the sweetest thing I can imagine. Maybe the romance isn’t gone after all.

-June