I offer no excuse for missing Valentine's Day

If you look over the menu of celebrations on a calendar, Valentine’s Day is probably the least divisive. After all, who could possibly be against "touchy-feely" stuff?

Of course the exception might be city folks who regularly ride packed subway cars. "Touchy-feely" might have a different connotation to them. I’ve heard stories but never personally traveled back to belly with a packed crowd of people.

Notwithstanding these few special situations, it’s safe to say the vast majority find the February love fest comfortably insulated from religion and politics, void of agendas and talking points. Who doesn’t like warm and fuzzy words and feelings?

Well having said most of us enjoy the chocolate season, I’m guilty of being chronically remiss in observing Valentine’s Day. To excuse this failure, I take refuge within my profession.

This is my busy time so there’s limited room left in my little mind for things other than numbers and forms. However truth be told, 2/14/12 is a number that didn’t sneak up on me. This time around I totally let it slip by and have no excuse other than being pure sorry. I use that a lot.

What is there to say? It isn’t as if the 365 days in the year aren’t predictable. I knew Valentine’s Day was coming this year when I got my new calendar, and it’s a sure bet it’ll roll by again in 2013.

Of course things could change as they did 2,000 years ago. There’s the remotest possibility supporters of Julius and Augustus will purloin more February days to augment July and August but is doubtful they’d pluck the 14th from mid-month.

That’s how it became the shortest month in the first place, having been cannibalized when the 10-month calendar became 12-months to accommodate these rulers. Hopefully President Obama won’t seize a month, strip days from the others and make 11 mini-months and one hugely bloated "Obtober." Could a "calendar czar" be in our future?

Back to my admission of guilt: I completely "missed" Valentine’s Day this year. I had the best of intentions, but it’s impossible to gift-wrap good thoughts. For one thing, there’s nowhere to press a finger so you can tie the ribbon.

I truly felt bad and still do that I didn’t even buy a card. Ann assured me it was no big deal but it is to me and I can’t rectify it. With her, you don’t get a mulligan for "late."

It’s alright. It won’t happen again, at least not in the foreseeable future. I’ll plan ahead next year well before I get swept away in the flood of my wonderful profession.

I hate it when I’m thoughtless and get my value system topsy-turvy. I love my wife and I love my life and know they’re matching shells of the same walnut that come together to make it so.

In the future I’ll be careful not to let Cupid get lost in my office among the files.

Otis Gardner’s column appears here weekly. He can be reached at ogardner@embarqmail.com.