One Rose or Two ? - part 1

Tonight's blog was not brought to you by my sons. Sorry. I had this really fun idea for a blog and was planning on telling you that I had done an unscientific poll . All it depended on was a one word answer from each of the four of them.

So I called Duckie. For the first time in months I got his voice mail . Huh. Figured I'd try again later.
Then I called Commodore Salazar ( I have to keep using his professional name so it gets hits on line and helps with the advertising for his magic business). Well no surprise there, he wasn't home.
Surely Sage Words would be of some help. Well, he is being of help but to others. That's because he's working pretty much round the clock getting those supply planes to Haiti. He's excused.
Not to be outdone, I called Skooba. I was absolutely certain he'd answer the phone and he did. He either really loves me that much or he hasn't programed a Mom ringtone in his phone. I'm comfortable in believing it's the first.

So I asked my question "Have you ever given your wife a corsage?"
Long pause... I started grinning...
"A...corsage?...uh, Honey, have I ever given you a corsage?"
Much laughter from the background...
"No Mom."

That means I have two seperate findings from this poll.
75% of the Cumberland sons were not polled
25 % of the Cumberland sons didn't know if he'd ever given his wife a corsage.(He's been married a year and a half)

Okay so my sons are all between 30 and 40. Maybe they were the wrong guys to ask about corsages in the first place. For that matter do they even make them any more except for mothers of the bride and groom? Hmm, even that might be something that's gone by the wayside too. Five weddings in our family and only Com. Salazar gave me a corsage.

So what's happened to corsages? For women in my age brackett, the subject can bring back some sweet memories. Do you remember your first corsage?

I do. My Dad gave it to me. Every Easter Sunday he gave Mom, my little sister, and me corsages. The first one I remember was when I was seven and it was daisies to pin on my blue coat over my new dress. Daddy gave me a corsage every Easter after that until I got married and every one was a loving gift, remembered fondly.

But then there were the corsages that were a part of the entire dating life of a teenage girl until the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Those sweet tokens that made each of us believe that special boy really liked us, at least for the evening.

There was a ritual about the whole thing too.

Monday ~~
"ah...I was wondering if you are going to the Freshman Reception with anyone?"
"Well, no, not yet."
"That's good. I mean that you aren't going. I mean no body asked you. ...uh... do you want to go with me?"
"Sure. That would be nice."
"Okay, well, I got to get to class."
"Right. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Tuesday ~~
"Um... my Mom said she could drive us. "
"Okay."
"Uh ...where do you live?"
"Up the hill from the library, the big house with all the steps in front."
"Oh. I know which one you mean."
" Okay then, I have to get to choir practice."
"Right, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Wednesday ~~
"Hey, I guess I have to get you a corsage."
"You don't have to if you can't afford it. I don't mind."
"Oh no my dad will let me have the money. I can get one cheap at Grande's only a couple of bucks."
"Okay then."
"Well, do you want one that you pin on your dress or one of those arm things?"
"A wrist-let would be great."
"Alright. I've got to go to detention, I forgot my Algebra homework."
"Oh too bad. Talk to you tomorrow."

Thursday ~~
"Hey, are you going to the Freshman Reception with anybody?"
"Yes, I'm going with Buddy."
"Why the heck are you going with him?"
"Well, he asked me and I said yes."
"Guess I shoulda asked you sooner."
"Yeah, pretty much everybody has a date by now."
"Okay, See ya around."

Friday ~~
"Um I forgot to ask you what color is your dress?"
"Lavender."
"Lavender, is that some kind of blue?"
"It's more like a light purple."
"Oh. I thought, you know, there s that dilly dilly song...Well, I got to get home and mow the grass."
"Okay, talk to you on Monday"

Two weeks later he shows up at the door corsage in hand. You look at him wide eyed as he proceeds to jab you four or five tomes before your mom offers to help pin on the biggest red rose corsage you ever saw onto your strapless lavender dress. I guess even after all the reminders to "just ask her", the wrist-let and lavender part never made it back to his mom, who probably ordered the flowers in the first place.

Chrysanthemums for homecoming dances, carnations with gold glitter and holly leaves for Christmas balls. Spring time brought the sweet flowers out; Lilies of the Valley and violets (my second favorite corsage ever) and yellow roses. Later, the more sophisticated, attention grabbing boys gave us orchards but I detested them myself. The minute he leans into you as you're dancing it is crushed and turns brown before the night is over.This was going to be a simple little nostalgic piece tonight but I found an entire other direction to take this discussion in, while looking for a few pictures. So tune in tomorrow for the second part of One Rose or Two?

See ya down the road,
Yarntangler