Valentine's Day. The one notorious day of the year that everyone either loves to love or loves to hate. In my experience it can be spent one of three ways;
1) Completely ignored.
2) Loved up and romantic.
or
3) In bed, watching re-runs of Sex and the City with the only three men a girl really needs, Ben, Jerry and Mr.Big.
It just so happens that this year I will be indulging in option two and, without it being too sickly, enjoying my first Valentine's Day with the bf. However, they haven't all been like that, a particularly adventurous traffic light night speed dating incident springs to mind.
A suggestion made after copious amounts of Bombay Sapphire and too many viewings of 'The Notebook' (I wonder how many of you girlies will be Notebook-ing your men this evening!) Jen returned back to our flat with a look of genuine triumph on her face.
"I've signed us up!"
"For what? The Army? Carrie Bradshaw wannabes club?"
"Traffic Light Night" Jen flopped down on the sofa and helped herself to the open bag of Doritoes next to me.
Having just managed not to snort wine out of my nose in protest, Hannah got there before me.
"WHY??!!"
I'm fairly sure the shriek could be heard from the top of our eight storey building.
"It will be fun! And no-one wants to stay in on Valentine's Day."
"Erm, I do!" I protested. I could see option three getting further and further away from me. Sob.
It was no use protesting, Jen was adamant it wouldn't be bad, with the promise on the table that she would cook every night for a week and buy the wine we spent a considerable few hours the next evening trying to pick out outfits that didn't scream any of the below;
A) Just sex please!
B) I really don't want to be here.
C) Please please marry me and save me from a life of living with cats and eating Marmite out of the jar!
In the end jeans, a nice top and a nicely styled black blazer did the trick...apparently for all three of us. God love identical high street fashion stores. And so, with apprehension in our eyes yet the grateful knowledge that the evening was being held in a pub off we went.
The pub was nice, the wine was chilled and after being there for ten minutes I had only spotted two guys that looked as if they still lived with their Mother's and one with potential murder in his eyes. Glass of wine in hand, it was time to head to our tables.
For anyone who doesn't know about or has never been to a traffic light night, it's speed dating but each girl gets a traffic light on her table, after each guy she presses; Red = Not interested, Amber = Maybe, Green = Get your coat! Then at the end there is a chance to chat to your maybe's or go get lucky with your Green's!
Well, my evening consisted of 'No Underwear Guy', 'Comic Book Guy', 'Snorter Guy' and 'Rotten Egg Breath Guy'. Needless to say my Red light button was starting to smoke. But then, whilst making slitting your throat actions at Hannah across the room, Harry sat down. (No girls, unfortunately not Prince Harry, I don't think he does speed dating in South London!)
Harry was 26, still lived with his parents, worked in a Lab and had, along with his cropped too short brown hair and nervous smile, a degree in Microbiology. But he was the nicest guy I had spoken to all night. All he wanted was to move out of his parent's house and find a nice girl that he could spoil.
Unfortunately I wasn't that girl but fairly safe in the knowledge that he was probably a virgin I pointed him in Jen's direction and waved him off.
In a slight wine haze, with our feet aching from last season's Kurt Geiger heels and Harry's number in Jen's iphone (no need to mention the virgin part to her just yet.) we intrepid singletons headed for home and a doctor's appointment with McDreamy and McSteamy.
Valentine's traffic light night wasn't a complete waste of time, we didn't make Jen cook every night anyway and meeting Harry had made me realise not all men at speed dating are terrifying. Just 90%.
So, whether your waiting for 24 Red Velvet cupcakes to bake in the oven or you're avoiding all restaurants, card shops and florists like the plague today, just remember, tomorrow's a new day and you don't need one day a year to tell someone, anyone, that you love them.
Happy Valentine's Day!! xxx
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