I thought I'd share this story, but regret it ends as a chain letter. Forgive me! Happy Valentine's! Caroline ---------- > From: denisha_tremain@acs-inc.com > To: caroline@flash.net; tracey.i.price@lmco.com > Subject: Early Happy Valentines > Date: Thursday, February 05, 1998 6:03 AM > > > This one is old, but good.... > > > > Subject: A Valentines Day Story > > > > John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army > > uniform, and > > studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central > > Station. > > He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, > > the > > girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months > > before in > > a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself > > intrigued, > > not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the > > margin. > > The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. > > In > > the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss > > Hollis > > Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in > > New > > York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her > > to > > correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World > > War > > II. > > During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other > > through > > the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A > > romance > > was budding. Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She > > felt > > that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When > > the > > day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their > > first > > meeting - 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. > > "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on > > my > > lapel." > > So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he > > loved, > > but whose face he'd never seen. > > I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened: > > A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her > > blonde > > hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as > > flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale > > green > > suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, > > entirely > > forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a > > small, > > provocative smile curved her lips. "Going my way, sailor?" she > > murmured. > > Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw > > Hollis > > Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman > > well > > past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat.. She was more > > than > > plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl > > in the > > green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in > > two, > > so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing > > for the > > woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. > > And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, > > her > > gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My > > fingers > > gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to > > identify > > me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, > > something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had > > been > > and > > must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held > > out the > > book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the > > bitterness of my disappointment. > > "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am > > so > > glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?" > > The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what > > this > > is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit > > who > > just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she > > said if > > you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is > > waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it > > was > > some kind of test!" > > It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. > > The > > true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. > > "Tell > > me whom you love," Houssaye wrote, "And I will tell you who you are." > > *************** > > Send this to 3 people.... You will have good luck for an entire day. > > Send this to 8 people .... You will have good luck for all of next > > week. > > Send this 11 or more people......You will know your true love and be > > happy > > for a long, long time. > > Send this to 20 or more people ...... You and your true love are > > going to > > be happily married for ever after. > > Send this to nobody...... You will have bad luck for at least 5 > > years. > > > > > >