When I was in the fourth grade, “Miss” Beverly decorate a hat box with red tissue paper and cut a hole in the top so we would drop in the Valentines that we wanted send to our classmates and to her.

Mama took me to the dime store to pick out the Valentines I wanted to send my friends. Back then, we had to cut our Valentine’s out of a coloring kind of book with a stiff cover on it with little Valentines dancing all around.

Most Valentines said “Be Mine” or “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

I got cutouts instead of the punch outs. I liked cutting out things and I liked those pictures best.

Mama said I needed to get a bottle of paste so, “when” I tore one of the Valentines, I could glue it back together.

That was good thing because I was not good at cutting out things so a lot of Valentine cards need a lot of glue.

I wrote the names on the Valentine’s I wanted to send. I just sent Valentines to a few boys…their Valentines said, “Ugh!” with a picture of a monkey hanging from a tree.

I didn’t send one Valentine that said, “Be Mine!” But, I did send two that said, UGH! They were my best friends and I knew they would laugh at that.

When Mrs. Beverly start calling out names as pulled the Valentine out the box, almost  every name she called was “Prissy Lou.” “Prissy Lou” Again and again, Prissy Lou.

We all got a few Valentine’s but a pickup truck had to come to pick up all of Prissy Lou’s Valentine’s.

On the way home, I cried because I only got a few Valentines. Betty Kay my best friend didn’t get but just a few either. She was mad!!

Mama had some Jelly Beans for me and Betty Kay when I got home. Betty Kay’s mother worked so she wasn’t at home. I shared my jelly beans with Betty Kay, although I would like to have just one or two more for myself.

Just about dark time, Daddy came in the kitchen to announce that he was taking Mama and me out to a nice restaurant for Valentine’s Day.

I was so surprised! Jelly Beans and trip to a restaurant. I had never been to a fancy restaurant before. I put on a clean dress but my Sunday shoes hurt my feet so I kept on my tennis shoes.

Daddy took Mama and me to J.B. Bowdens’ fancy, fancy café a long way away.

I got a hamburger and French fries and I would have used up the whole bottle of ketchup except Daddy said that would be bad manners.

I couldn’t wait to get to school the next day and tell about my Valentine’s Day adventure.

Mrs. Beverly made a speech about being kind and not hurt other children’s feelings. She said from now on, it would be rule to give everyone is the class a kind Valentine and everybody would  be happy.

Daddy didn’t take Mama and me J.B. Bowden’s fancy café any more. But, sometime, one time is so wonderful that a memory like that will last a lifetime.

And, a special thanks to Mrs. Beverly for making sure everybody got a Valentine so all the school will feel happy.