Can buy me love

Love. Then was when the emotion inspired innumerable odes and ballads that flowed from the poets8217; quills. Now is when the emotion is inspiration for countless business opportunities and ventures. From card manufacturers to jewellers to chocolate-makers, the world seems to be cashing in on this intangible thing called love 8211; with very tangible returns indeed!

Preparations for this festival begin, much like Diwali and Christmas, weeks in advance. First things first, you check up on the bank account or then save up pocket money! For this is one day when love does not come cheap. From each long-stalked red rose selling for Rs. 15 a piece to diamond-encrusted gold rings, earrings and pendants that cross the five-figure mark, Valentine8217;s Day is one where the balance between emotions and economics becomes precarious. The more the scale tilts in favour of the latter, the higher goes the stock of the former. And also, unfortunately, vice-versa.

So if the best things in life are supposed to be free, love certainly is not one of them. Roses, proses and candlelight dinners. Heart-shaped chocolates, candies, pizzas yes!, jewellery, frames, watches, apparels, shoes and even, according to one ingenious advertiser, Listerine8230; the list of gifts that seem to mean love is endless. As far as variety is concerned, the sky is the limit today. And ditto for the cost.

Gone are the days when Romeo wooed Juliet by serenading her below her balcony. The minimum that could be expected of today8217;s Romeo would be for him to gift a darned guitar to Juliet on Valentine8217;s. And if the intrepid Soni of today has to wade through a river to reach Mahiwal, you can bet that she ain8217;t gonna do it if Mahiwal cannot buy her a yacht to accomplish the feat.

8220;Love cannot be measured in terms of cash,8221; screech innumerable Bollywood heroes and heroines. They need to visit the nearest card shop or gift shop and get educated. With size mattering like never before, there are cards measuring close to three feet, priced at three figures only to convey those three all-important words. In fact, you can say it in 3,000 different ways these days 8211; with flowers, embroidered cushions, T-shirts, dinner dates8230; Seems like saying it with words is going outta fashion these days. Words emanating direct dil se, that is. Without the involvement of a third party, even if it is only a stuffed teddy bear.

So Valentine8217;s back. Painting the town red. With hotels ringing in the day with all kinds of dos. With stores selling everything from doughnuts to detergents as ideal Valentine gifts. With party animals in a tizzy on how to spend the big day. And the world generally caught up in a spirit of celebration. And never mind the occasional thought of what8217;s love got to do with it?8217;