- KC, left, and Larry Jansson
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, I seem to be the only romantic in the Dallas Voice office. Valentine’s Day was my anniversary.
To counter the lack of Valentine’s Day cheer around here today — senior editor Tammy Nash and wife Sandra will be going to the gym together, advertising director Leo Cusimano did Valentine’s things with his kids over the weekend, classifieds manager Greg Hoover thinks a poker game tonight might be fun — I spoke to Larry and KC Jansson. Fast becoming Dallas’ most popular romantic couple, we featured them in the cover story of Friday’s Dallas Voice.
“So of course you know we are romantics,” Larry said.
Duh.
Yesterday they checked into the W-Dallas hotel, where they held their wedding reception in December 2009.
“It was so cool to be here again,” he said. “This place will always be special to us.”
But of course that wasn’t all of the romance.
“I came home tonight and KC surprised me with a case full of roses,” Larry said. “And a singing heart-shaped box of chocolates that sings ‘I like it, I love it, I want some more of it,’ with a very sweet card!”
Then they got to the hotel.
“I hid my gifts for KC in our suitcase and sent him to get ice. While he was gone I placed a bottle of champagne, his favorite white chocolates and a card that said, ‘You’re my little love monkey. By the way nice banana!’ With a hand written part reminding him that he is the best part of me! So our V-day plans consist of Grammy viewing in the W room, night out at S4 and the gayborhood, followed by room service and breakfast in bed. Simple, sweet, all about our love!”
He also said that he got a call from Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out, over the weekend, who is quoted in a sidebar to the story. Besen invited them to speak in Memphis on the Feb. 21. They’re planning to go and share their story in the city where their reparative therapy organization, Love in Action, is located.
- Jack Evans, left, and George Harris
The Janssons aren’t Dallas’ only romantic couple, however. Jack Evans and George Harris celebrated their 50th anniversary in January. Jack sent me a note about their plans.
“After 50 Valentine’s, I don’t know what we could do for Valentine’s that we haven’t already done … at least twice,” Evans wrote.
So he told me about a Valentine’s Day from a number of years ago.
“It was a scavenger hunt,” he wrote. “I cut 10 paper heart-shaped Valentines … from the largest (about the size of a dinner plate) … down to the smallest (about the size of a saucer). When George came in from work, the first heart was by the front door … with a love message on the heart and directions to the second heart. The second heart was in a bedroom, under a bed pillow with another love message with direction to the third heart … etc.
“The 10th heart said, ‘I love you. You are getting warm, but try the farm. They’re good for your sight and your eyes will be bright.’ In the refrigerator — in the crisper — I had put a gold ring set with a small black star sapphire stone on a carrot,” Evans wrote. “Could that be more romantic?”
That’s certainly romantic and they still have the paper hearts.
I always get a little depressed on Valentine’s Day. I met Jonathan during my senior year in college.
My sophomore year roommate set us up on a blind date. They had gone out and he thought we’d be a better match. So we went to a movie on campus, the rathskeller for a drink (the drinking age was 18 at the time) and then back to my room. I had my own room and Jonathan moved in the next day. He was one of the early victims of the AIDS epidemic.
