This is part of the story of how I got together with Sarah, my current sweetheart. I am especially appreciative of Valentine’s Day because of it!

I had first met Sarah four months ago while dancing. (See the “Things to try” category if you want more information about dancing.) She hadn’t really interested me at the time, truth be told. She did keep coming to my house after the once-a-week dancing sessions, but we were still only friends. We were growing closer, however.

I had an idea! When it came to Valentine’s Day, an idea popped into my head that just had to be acted upon! Sarah and I had exchanged mobile phone numbers at this point, and I thought it would be fun to do what I had in mind.

I sent her a text in the form of a poem:

“Regarding my identity,
A secret, shall be mine.
That’s how things are meant to be,
My dear Valentine!”

Now, of course, Sarah would have known that the text was from me, had I used my normal phone. I had a spare mobile phone that is hardly ever used, but still connected to the network! Can you see where this is leading?

Of course, you’ve guessed what happened. I sent her the Valentine’s Day message from the spare phone. I also set up the answerphone greeting as follows: “Have you figured out who it is yet?” I used a disguised, falsetto voice.

The day after Valentine’s Day, we went dancing, as we usually would do on Tuesday evening. I did not refer to the text. While I was walking Sarah back to her home, she commented on the text, and said it was unusual. She asked me if I had sent it. I replied that she knew my mobile phone number, so if I had sent it then she would have known it was me. I was, of course, dying to laugh! Luckily, I’m good at keeping a straight face when the moment requires it.

By the next day, Sarah had plucked up enough courage to phone the number that the text came from, so of course, she got my answerphone message. She then rang me later on that day. “Mystery solved! It was just some woman trying to send a message to her boyfriend, and she must have sent it to the wrong number.” So, Sarah still had no clue as to what was going on! And, well, I guess I’m good at sounding like a woman if I put my mind to it!

I changed the answerphone message again, and then, later that day, I sent her another text, this time from my usual phone. “Sarah, the conclusion you have drawn regarding the identity of your mystery messenger is incorrect! Please call the number again, and all will be revealed.”

When Sarah called the number again, she was greeted with my natural voice this time. “Sarah, the text was from me all along! This is a spare phone of mine from which I sent it. I recorded a new answerphone message yesterday, some time after dance class, and I disguised my voice to hide my identity. Let me make it up to you! How about dinner at the Toby Carvery, Friday night, I’m buying, and I’ll pick you up at the time of your choosing. Let me know what you decide on my main number!”

The date went well, and the rest, as they say, is history. All thanks to Valentine’s Day!