“Ehh, you’ll do”. Magnet and Notecards available here.
A few days ago I was in a store looking at Valentines. There is a particular brand of card that I love with bold writing and great quotes, philosophies and song lyrics…I shuffled thru the rack and then came upon one that read “Love the one you’re with”.
I just wish someone would buy me this card on valentines day, so I could punch them in the thorax. Seriously is there anyone who does not associate this phrase with the snarky 1970 Stephen Stills folk rock tune that goes ” If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with” This idea is so terrible for a love letter that I thought maybe that is not what it’s for…Maybe this is a line of hooker specific greeting cards, or part of a spring break survival kit? It did however get me thinking about other terrible Valentines Day sentiments.
“Ehh, you’ll do” seemed like an adequate example of someone who has given up on romance. And so I thought it would make a GREAT! Horrible card. Apparently my instinct when I see something awful is to see if can create something worse. I imagined giving this card to someone late at night on a train station bench, they could be pick up lines printed on business cards, has anyone thought of that…great for late night bar time action when you don’t have the ability to enunciate verbal flirtation.
SO I sit down to draw, I think maybe I will draw some mermaids having this conversation, or squirrels, or indistinguishably similar bees, I don’t know how best to illustrate the apathy. I think of drawing a sloth with a coconut, but then I forget that idea until just now, when I remember it and think, damn….. that’s funny and I totally have to go back and draw that.
I end up drawing a prairie dog ( it probably was supposed to be a squirrel but I think someone started talking to me and I forgot what I was doing ) So I am drawing this prairie dog and about to draw the other one…… prairie dogs are the perfect first date animal to me, they always look like they are about to kiss goodnight on a front porch in 1959, all nervous and well postured. I think Leave It to Beaver could be filmed entirely with Prairie Dogs. So it’s ironic how rude this one prairie dog is about to be to the other “ehh, you’ll do” …ooh be still my heart.
Suddenly I find myself thinking it would be funny if the prairie dog was holding a mirror and really just lackadaisical about his own self….and then a flood of profound epiphany overcomes me…..What I intended as an insult was actually quite the opposite.
You, You alone on Valentine’s day, or any other day, who do you have, You have your reflection, is that enough….well yeah it’s enough, Will you do…yes! you will do quite nicely. Ehh, You’ll do. YOU WILL AND YOU WILL DO FINE AND DON”T YOU FORGET IT!
I have drawn the conclusion that the love story you have with yourself in the mirror, is just as card worthy as all the rest of the ways we love each other. Here’s a valentine that proves it…..Still funny if you give to someone else.
