For the Love of Love

by John Cannizzo

Valentine’s Day, talking about types. “Are you physical? Intellectual? Or are emotions your center of gravity?”

“But opposites attract,” Dominique says.

“No. Compliments like night and day, cold and warm form a whole, if they are essentially compatible. Let me tell you about Ray and Sandy”

I give Ray the usual paper with the address. He is leaving Riker's.

“You guys just playing?”

“Call me.”

Next day he is there and I get him started cleaning out the basement. Our super is leaving (or is being fired). When I get home Friday, Ray is outside.

“Congratulate me”

“Congratulations.”

“The managing agent hired me.”

I feel foreboding of dread. “It’s not a good idea.”

“Trust me.”

The job includes an apartment and $150 per week – Ray’s first apartment – an unimagined achievement. I see him every morning and night. He is helping us paint our apartment. He is also an intern. In his back pocket most times is a ¼ pint of rum.

Sandy is out of jail too – another intern.

“John I need to talk. Can you meet me at the ‘Hort’?” Sandy’s overweight voice wheezes into the phone.

“I’m busy. What is it?”

“I need to meet you.”

At the office she is already there. She would kiss my hand if I let her.

“Everything is going to work out at last. Ray asked me to move in”

“It’s not a good idea.”

She looks at me with an affected transport of indignation. “It’s Ray’s apartment! You want me to die?”

The apartment is tight; they start to fighting.

“What now stuffed fish, brick soul, date pit?! Sure of yourself, cheap wino with a lottery ticket. Swear to God one of these days – tear your eyes out, kicked dog! You think I’ll die for love of you!?”

Next day at Riverside Park Pam calls. Police are there arresting Ray. He cut Sandy’s finger off when he slammed the door on it. He resisted; they beat him up. He got seven years but they let him off with three.

“Dying for love is a ridiculous idea, Dominique. Lovers say they are dying but, that they will actually give up the ghost, don’t believe it.”

We step onto dank cold steps of the subway. At the bottom a boy on his knees is proposing to a girl.

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In the catacombs connected with the basilica of Valentinus, outside the Porta del Popolo, 19th-century excavations unearthed 200 Christian inscriptions referring to the works of St. Valentine. In New York City’s catacombs Dominique and I stumbled upon these young lovers – more honest than discrete.

Opinions vary as to the origin of Valentine's Day. Some say it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries. Legend also says St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter to whom he had restored hearing and sight, and signed it "From Your Valentine." Others say St. Valentine was a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius had Valentine jailed for defying him which makes him a particularly well suited patron saint for HSNY’s internship program. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine.

[url=/photos/index.php?pic=greenteam200802c_L.jpg]Cupid’s name was given by the Romans. His mother was Venus. According to Roman mythology, Venus was jealous of Cupid's mortal bride, Psyche. She ordered her son to punish his would-be wife, but Cupid felt very passionately towards Psyche. Despite her mortal status that prevented her from looking at him, Cupid still married Psyche. The bride's sisters later convinced Psyche to look at Cupid. When she did, Cupid punished her by leaving her. Their beautiful surroundings, including their castle and gardens, were gone too. Left with nothing, Psyche wandered in search of her lost love. She eventually arrived at the temple of Venus, her would-be destroyer. [/url]

Lovers. Medieval superstition proscribed that children should think of five or six names of boys or girls they might marry, They twisted the stem of the apple and recited the names until the stem came off. It was believed they would marry the person whose name they were saying when the stem fell off.

In the U.S., Esther Howland is credited with sending the first valentine cards. Commercial valentines were introduced in the 1800s. Today, the post office in Loveland, Colorado does great business around February 14. The spirit of good continues as valentines are sent out with sentimental verses and children exchange valentine cards at school.

St. Valentine’s feast day is still celebrated within the Church on local calendars such as in Balzan and in Malta where his relics are claimed to be found, and throughout the world by Traditionalist Catholics who follow the older, pre-Vatican II calendar. Prior to the creation of the new calendar, the church in Rome that had been dedicated to him observed his feast day by, among other things, displaying his reputed skull surrounded by roses.