Romance for One

June 19th is apparently "Romance Day." Six for "Ro," nineteen for "mantic." It's a play on words. Spend a wonderful day with someone special. That's what it said on some website.

I thought, that makes sense. And then I thought, I don't have any plans for today.

Do people in this world actually have a romance on a day like this? Bouquets of flowers, restaurants with a view of the night skyline, and so on. I haven't experienced that sort of thing for a long time. I haven't experienced it, but I'm not particularly bothered by it either. I'm a little surprised myself that I'm not bothered.

I went shopping on my way home from work. I bought just one can of beer. I actually wanted two, but I stuck with one. In times like these, I usually regret it later. As expected, by the time I got home and drank half of the first one, I wished I had another. It can't be helped.

When I open the window, I can see the harbor. The sun sets, and lights begin to flicker on the ships anchored there. I've never counted them, but there are probably ten, or maybe a few more. I still don't really know if those are fishing boats or cargo ships. I've been watching them for years without knowing.

As for what I'm doing on Romance Day, I'm knitting.

There's a sweater I started knitting last winter and left unfinished. Around the time March passed, I decided it was "too late" and shoved it to the back of my basket. I pulled it out. Knitting a winter sweater in June is seasonally wrong. But I felt like knitting, so it can't be helped.

I loop the yarn over my fingers and knit one row, then another. Somewhere along the way, I lose track of how many rows I've done. It's a hassle to recount, so I just think, oh well, and keep going. Only my hands are moving on their own. My mind is thinking about something else.

When I look at the harbor lights, a story begins before I know it.

I wonder who is on those ships. I wonder what they're eating right now. Surely, there must be at least one person on a ship somewhere who has no idea that tonight is "Romance Day" and is just silently doing something. Like winding a rope, for instance. Just as I am winding yarn right now.

Thinking about it that way, I suddenly feel a sense of closeness to that unknown someone. Even though we've never met. This is probably the beer's fault.

I had always thought that romance meant love. Being with someone, your heart racing, and so on. But recently, I've begun to realize that doesn't seem to be the case.

For me, romance is finding joy in things that cannot be explained, while they remain unexplained. The time spent wondering what those lights are, or where those ships are going. There is no answer, and there doesn't need to be. Because there is no answer, I can keep watching them forever.

I once heard that a dragon vein runs through the mountain across from the harbor. I don't know if it's true. I don't know, but it's more fun not knowing, so I've decided not to verify it.

When I realized it, the beer was long gone. The sweater had grown by about three rows. The ship lights were still floating on the sea as always. I feel like there are a few less than before, but I'm tipsy, so I can't really tell.

Tomorrow, I'll probably sit in the same spot and watch the same harbor. Not spending it with anyone, and nothing happening.

And I think that is romantic enough. It is just the right amount of romance for one person.

By the way, I really should have bought one more beer.