Be My Valentine!

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"Polly, Polly, Polly Ann, Mom called out as she heard Polly open the door and drop her books onto the floor, kicking off her shoes at the same time. "Guess what, I got your Valentines today at the dime store". "Also Granny gave you a shoe box and some white tissue paper and I got construction paper so we can make your Valentine mail box after supper." She was so excited to look through all the beautiful Valentines with the beautiful red hearts on them as this year she had wanted store bought Valentines so she could pick out the very best one for Jimmy, Martin. Jimmy was the cutest boy in the third grade..He had big blue eyes and, blond hair combed into a wave on one side. She did not know if he liked her as she thought that she wasn't very pretty especially with her blond hair all combed straight back and braided into tight pig tails. She was very shy. She often looked at  Jimmy  two seats over as she felt his eyes on her and he would smile at her and quickly drop his head in embarrassment as she starred at him.  Ofttimes when they had to switch papers as the teacher graded papers that way...Jimmy had smiled a shy smile at her when she handed him back his paper, saying, all the answers were correct. His smile made her heart skip a beat.

She had ran quickly to her mother, mouthing, "thanks mom," grabbing the cards out of her moms hand and kissing her on the cheek. She ran into her bed room, closing the door behind her and flung the envelope and herself down on the bed. She wanted to be alone as she looked for the perfect card before her brother got home; as he would tease her. She quickly ripped open the  clear plastic wrapper dumping the promised 18 cards on the bed beside her...She soon saw all sorts of pictures of alligators to Zebra's holding hearts that said almost the same thing, such as: Will you be my valentine? Be mine Valentine!  none of those even though some were very cute and funny would do...It had to be different and so very special. all of a sudden she spied the corner of a picture that looked like a blond headed laddie..she snatched it up to looked at it closely and there it was . It was a blond headed lad and a little blond headed maiden with a big heart around them and at the bottom was a verse that said you are my very special Valentine! I <3 you! She thought oh no, I want to give him this one but it will be so embarrassing....What will I do if he doesn't give me a Valentine?

She soon heard her mother calling to her, Polly what are you doing so long  your Dad is home and Bobby is in the bath room washing his hands for supper...come in and wash for supper as your dad wants to clean up.  She hadn't realized it was that late. She had only 18 cards and the only one that was special enough for Jimmy was one she could not possibly give to any one else and she must give a card to each of the eighteen kids in her class. What was she going to do.?

She wasn't very hungry as she sat at the supper table; she was very quite...Mom was telling Bobby he must help make himself a Valentines box after supper, Bobby did not seem very interested in his cards or making a valentines box and was muttering, Aah, do I have to? I want to go practice pitching....Can't Polly fill out mine? She likes to. Polly said under her breath, "No way....I am going to be to busy making my box and deciding which cards to send."..How would I know which cards you want to send to who? Do you want me to send Sue Ellen a card that says , be my special valentine,?" She knew that would get his attention as she knew he thought Sue Ellen was a pest. She told him, They are all so much a like...What difference will it make She won't think you like her any way , do you think?" wanting to see his reaction. As she debated what, Jimmy would think if she sent him that card. Did Jimmy think she was a pest or did he like her? That is what she wanted to believe his smile was saying to her....  Bobby looked through all of his cards and said, "you are right. It really wont make much difference send Sue Ellen any card you want just do it! I always can make Sue Ellen know; I do not like her!" He said adamantly. She thought,"so that is perhaps the way  Jimmy will feel about his cards."  She finally decided with some apprehension to just do her cards and also Bobby's.

After supper and the dishes were done; mother said in answer to Bobby's question, "Yes, Polly can do your cards if she wants to, but you must help make your own Valentine box".....Bobby quickly wrapped a sheet of red paper around his box, glued it at the end, cut a slit in the top and wrote his name on it. He then grabbed his ball glove and headed for the door .

Mom helped Polly apply white tissue paper to the outside of her box and cut Polly a pattern to make red hearts to glue on her box.. Polly wanted her box to be the prettiest box in the class room...so she concentrated very hard on tracing the heart pattern and gluing all the hearts in the right place.

After putting away the glue, paper and scissors she made quick work of signing Bobby's cards and printing a name on each envelope , not paying any attention to which card she put in any of them. She then filled out all of her cards carefully putting girls names on all of the ones that said Be mine, except for the very special card. After she finished the 12 cards for the girls in her class room  She set the very special card to one side and quickly looked at the remaining 5 cards....She was right there was no other card that she could give To Jimmy except the special card...."ooh; she thought as she starred at the remaining cards, should I  give that card to Claria?" Claria was her best friend. She thought Oh, I have already made out Claria's card. I will not have enough if I give my special card to Claria." She studied the remaining cards closely finding that each card had appropriate pictures and simply said , Will you be my Valentine? She, neatly began printing the names of each boy in her class on an envelope. After she inserted the last card into an envelope; She lovingly looked at the beautiful special card. Finally after going over and over in her mind as what to do. She knew she would rather give the card to Jimmy than any one else even if he did not give her a card. She picked it up and was starting to print Jim on it when she heard her mom tap on her door and say, "Polly, it is time for Devotions and bedtime prayer.". Nine O'clock was always devotion time (Bible reading and bedtime prayers, then it was time to brush their teeth and off to bed before 10 O'clock) She nervously finished writing Jimmy on the envelope and stuffed it in the box along with the rest of the cards.

Polly, had just enough time to grab her box, off her dresser the next morning after getting ready to go to school. She was so nervous ever time she even thought about the card, her hand shook a little bit, so she tried to not even think about anything but what people were saying to her. As she entered the class room she saw that a few of the kids had already placed their Valentine  boxes on the table..  They were to have their party right after lunch and school was to be dismissed at 2 O'clock.. She set her box down on the table and went to her seat glancing behind her she saw that the bus kids were coming in with their boxes and placing them on the table. Jimmy was the third kid she saw and he looked right at her and smiled and blushed as he set his box down. She looked at him and was so nervous she dropped her books and bent over to pick them up. The bell rang just as all the kids were taking their seats. At recess the teacher would sort the cards and put them in each box. Right after lunch they would play games have refreshments and pick up their boxes. They were to set in their seats quietly as each one picked their box up off the table.

After lunch in the lunch room each child would go by the table and pick up his box, and a cupcake that had been placed beside it. They were then allowed to sit at their desk and eat their cup cake and open their box if they wished as the teacher and her assistant served drinks. The children walked single filed to the table Polly was the next to the last student to pick up her box and her friend Claria right behind her.....She kept starring at Jimmy as he picked up his box and took his seat....she could not take her eyes off him. He never turned around but sat down quickly and never looked up but was opening his box nervously and searching through his cards , She then noticed that he all of a sudden found what he was looking for...He had her card in his hands...She could not look any more...She plopped down quickly in her seat and quickly dumped her cards on the table glancing at them....no no she thought...there is not even a card at all from Jimmy...She hurriedly put them all back in hoping she was wrong . Trying not to reveal her embarrassment and disappointment ...she told her self she had to be wrong she would not even think about it but would save her cards until she got home.

All through the games she tried to not even look at Jimmy.... As ever time she looked at him, he would smile.
Why was he smiling did he like her card? Was he making fun of her?  She was so relieved when it was time to line up for dismissal...She could not wait to get home so she could look at her card in private and perhaps she would cry. She was not a bus rider so she was one of the last to leave the class room... She starred at Jimmy's back as he went through the door. Just as she entered the hall Jimmy stepped out in front of her and
held a Big Red Heart Valentine out to her  . In big letters it said You are my special Valentine! It had a little bag Of heart candy attached to it also. She gulped as she starred into his smiling blue eyes and smiled shyly back at him. As she took the card out of his hand he blushed and said. "See you tomorrow. I got to get on the bus!"