Aloha, My Friend,

2nd Sunday in February, would it surprise you that it has a Valentine’s theme? I think not?

Many years ago I was in Austin as Valentine’s Day was approaching. I didn’t go to Austin to visit the home of the writer, O’Henry –before he went to jail for embezzlement- but I thought that while I was there I should pay a tribute visit, after all, he is one of my favorite authors. How can you not take a liking to a guy who can craft a sentence like “What else can you expect from a town that’s shut off from the world by the ocean on one side and New Jersey on the other?”

You know, not many guys red circle Valentine’s Day on the refrigerator calendar and that is one of the things that I have in common with most guys. Typically on that day someone will come on up to me and ask what I am giving my wife, Elaine, for Valentine’s and my usually reply is something along the lines of, “I’ll have to give that some thought.” In this story, as I was peeking in the tiny rooms of O’Henry’s home a confluence of his unabashed sentimental love stories, my thoughts of Elaine and the reality of approaching Valentine’s Day washed over me like a cold mountain stream. I’ll let you know, I am not a particularly religious man, I characteristically only reflect on God to curse, plead or exclaim amazement at the wonders of this world but at that moment of enlightenment I thanked the Big Man Himself for FedEx and a book of a wonderful collaboration between the poet, Leonard Cohen, and the artist, Matisse, “Dance Me To The End Of Love.” To some it is just a book of one beautiful love poem by Cohen, colored by Chagall prints of dancers across the pages. To me it was a dodged bullet and a rabbit pulled out of the black felt top hat both at the same time.

Let me give you a quick stanza. It goes with a soft violin playing in a ¾ time waltz time.

Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you move like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love.

YouTube video of Cohen sing the song:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki9xcDs9jRk&feature=related

I almost feel that I should apologize for cutting such a long trail just to invite you down to the 2nd Sunday Fair at the Square but, honestly, I presume that you would actually think a little bit less of me should I apologize for getting a wee bit romantic when I tell you a story about Laine.

You do the same about your Baby too, now don’t you?

Second Sunday, yeah, Sweet Sunday, February 10th – “Sweets for my Sweet, Sugar for my Honey.” Going with the Valentine’s Day idea many of the participating shops out here in Railroad Square will be giving away sweets and treats to everyone, asking only in return some of your pocket change for charity or some canned goods for 2nd Harvest. –Another O’Henry quote: “Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man’s starving.”

This will be a hum-dinger of a 2nd Sunday. There will be live music by The Bluebird Suitcase Band, the Manatee Mushroom Man will have bags of delicious oyster mushrooms, there will be fresh farmer’s market vegetables, assorted food venders, the red caboose –The Renaissance Café – will be open serving lunch, a return of the bloodmobile trading cool t-shirts for a mere pint of blood (Bali HI will give you 20% if you donate a pint). Mickee Faust will be performing love sonnets or something like that; mingling in the crowd will be the costumed performers of the FSU Theater presentation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and some ribald Renaissance troupe from FSU. Someone told me the even Hoot Gibson will be here with his Tupelo Honey so I am keeping my fingers crossed for that. – This could be one of my talks to God moments, begging, cap in hand.

So, promise me two things before we go, first, you’ll come on out to 2nd Sunday, February 10th and second, that you will dance to the end of Love.