by Joe Buttweiler –
MASON CITY — Is there a Cindy Dahl here?” asked the deliveryman, walking into the Woodharbor lobby Monday morning with a Valentine’s Day flower arrangement.
“Wow, that’s me!” the lady behind the counter exclaimed, lighting up in joy.
The man put the flowers next to other arrangements, and went back out to the truck to bring in cookies — dozens of tasty-looking heart-shaped treats with lots of icing, for company employees in Mason City and Northwood.
Oh, how sweet it is to deliver happiness on Valentine’s Day.
“People are so glad to see you,” said Brian Janssen, one of the members of the Mason City Noon Kiwanis Club who helped deliver flowers for Hy-Vee West.
In office after office, receptionists and passersby lit up as the colorful bouquets arrived — some with balloons, others more modest but no less heartfelt.
“Oh, my! Where’s mine,” a woman in scrubs said as she rounded a corner at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa and saw a table full of flowers.
“Just take the biggest one,” someone joked.
Now let’s not be naughty. Cupid could pass you by for pulling a prank like that.
Mercy had a guy running the flowers to various offices and rooms. He would be busy. There were 10 flowery parcels on the table, and probably more to come later.
All over town, flower delivery people were spreading the joy on a warm winter day.
“I think most folks like to get them at work,” said Janssen, who looks forward to helping out with the deliveries because of the joy it brings to recipients and their co-workers.
Back in a makeshift floral depot at Hy-Vee, Manager Tim Flaherty and others wrapped up the flowers and coordinated the deliveries.
Val Barnes, who worked Monday morning with floral manager Wilma Romig, said she’s been helping with Valentine’s Day deliveries for about 20 years.
“It just gets in your blood. It’s such an exciting day,” Barnes said.
