"Hey!" shouted the Supervisor in dismay, "What the hell are you doing? Do you realize it's only four days until Valentine's Day?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Cupid replied, staring at the TV.
"Well get up!" walking over to the television and turning off Jerry Springer in mid-sentence.
"Hey! I was watching that!" Cupid annoyingly shouted.
"This is the reason divorce is at its all-time highest," pointing his finger at Cupid, "Get out there and get some people to fall in love--you lazy bum!"
Cupid looked up at his Supervisor and decided to confess his doubts.
"I can't do it anymore boss," he sat up and pulled a pizza bite out from the folds of his belly. "What's the point? So they fall in love, big deal. They got nowhere to go from there but down. They can’t afford to buy a house, most of them are unemployed and those that do get married only end up arguing about money and blaming me, I'm sick of being the scapegoat for everybody's problems."
The Supervisor listened as Cupid continued. "Boss, you've known me for a long time. I was the one who convinced Burt Bacharach to write that song about the world needing love..."
"Yeah," interrupted the Supervisor, "and you also were behind The J. Geils Band's "Love Stinks!"
Cupid blushed. "I was pissed off that day, but now that you mention it, it does stink."
The Supervisor sensed the seriousness of Cupid's depressed state.
"Look, I'll make you a deal."
Cupid, with a look of doubt on his chubby face, "A deal? Who are you, Monty Hall?”
"I'm serious. You gather up your supplies, head out and if you can get 4,000 couples to fall in love in four days I'll give you a huge bonus."
"4,000? Are you out of your mind?" Cupid shimmied to the edge of the sofa, his feet dangling. "First of all, there aren't FORTY couples out there who want to take it to the next level and half of the ones who do can't even get married in most states. I'm telling you it's over. I'm finished!
The Supervisor wasn’t giving up. "Do you remember the day you stuck me and my wife with that misguided arrow?"
"You mean the one that was meant for Diana and Charles but I tripped over a rock?”
"That was the best mistake you ever made. I've been a happy man for many years and my wife couldn't be more pleased with her life. Did you know we got married on Valentine's Day?"
Cupid listened in silence.
"It’s because of you that our life has been so fulfilling. Even if you hook up just one couple, at least two more people will know the beauty of love in their life.”
Cupid's own heart was beginning to melt.
"Okay," Cupid spoke, wiping a tear from his eye, "I'll give it another shot."
He gathered his bow and arrows and headed out the front door. The Supervisor followed, closing the door on his way out.
"What a moron," he muttered. "Thank God I was able to get a quick annulment from that broad, what a mistake that would have been!”
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Copyright 2011 by Janet Cipolli. All Rights Reserved.
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