Ichiro (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=162834.msg7562709#msg7562709) was excited, he had been given his first big outside assignment when the City Council hired him to take pictures of the local Valentine's Day event. Even if the photos would only be used on the town's website and, perhaps, to promote the event the following year, he was very glad to have the job. He had been granted the opportunity to offer spontaneous portraits for the event-goers as well and he looked forward to catching a few romantic couples hand in hand.<br/><br/>Where he was from, Valentines day was handled a bit differently. Females gave gifts of chocolate to the important men in their lives, the more personal the gift the closer the relationship. Then the sentiment was returned the next month - on March 14th, a holiday named "White Day" - when the males gifted the females in their lives who had given them chocolates. But the mutual romance that the Americans celebrated on this day was a much lovelier thought in his eyes - that way there was less 'obligation' and more spontaneous affection. Still, a sigh escaped him while he considered the holiday in years passed. He had received so many gifts of chocolate from ladies he hardly even knew -and plenty from some who he'd never met. He was still happy at his decision to let all that go, but he knew so few in this new town that it seemed he was often lonely. But he held out faith that he'd find a comfortable middle place between invasive fame and the other extreme of invisibility soon.<br/><br/>A cardinal caught his attention in the branches of a nearby tree and he paused to get a quick picture, (http://www.greglasley.net/images/N/Nothern%20Cardinal%200126.jpg) its vibrant red was a perfect reminder of the day. Even if the photo was completely superfluous for the job he was hired to do it lifted his spirits quite a bit. Soon, he moved on and began to take snapshots of all the decorations he could find. It was still early afternoon, which allowed him a chance to get the setup before the park became flooded with visitors. He had traversed most of the park before he saw the first people arrive, and ended his rounds at the tables, taking macro images of the delectable sweets (http://watermarked.cutcaster.com/cutcaster-photo-100706496-Fruit-tarts.jpg) that Absolutely Argent Cafe had provided. His stomach growled then, reminding him that he'd not eaten anything since breakfast, the excitement of the day had taken him over to the point where it had completely slipped his mind. Perhaps he'd treat himself to a cupcake? If Valentine's day was not the day to give in to the bliss of frosting then no other day was....