The Promotion Of Love

Feb 15, 2017 – Los Angeles

“It used to be that you had to attend someone’s wedding to hear a contrived, cringe inducing ode to how they met.”

Fashion blogger Mia Martinez breezed out of the new, “new” east side bar and lit her cigarette.

“Or the unusual deepness of their connection.” Mia’s Filipino and fabulous roommate Bart countered.

“Then at least they reward you with a free dinner! Now all you have to do is scroll through instagram on Valentine’s Day.”

“Unfortunately dancing does not follow. Ahh the promotion of love.”

Mia took a drag from her cigarette.

“Yesterday around 8pm I saw a couple post right after one another which means one of them was sitting on the couch, looked up from their Dominos and said “I guess we should post something about our relationship on social media today.”

“How romantic,”

“I wonder if card sales are down?”

“Do French people’s instagram’s look like this?”

“No. I dated a French guy once. He lives in Vietnam now and the only mention of bae yesterday was his sexy selfie with her creepin’ in the background. He may have used the hashtag Valentine’s Day though…”

“What is the point of these posts? Is a public declaration necessary for the other person to feel special?”

“I just don’t get why people in 2017 want to casually share the most personal part of their lives? We get it, she’s the peanut butter to your jelly.”

“P.S. I’m bored. You’ve been together for ten years.”

“Maybe Valentine’s Day posting is the ultimate “We’re ok, right??” Maybe all of these couple’s are on the verge of a split” Mia stubbed out her American Spirit.

“I was about to have another” Bart lamented.

“Go for it, I’m gonna call an Uber.”

“Lyft!”

“Right. Lyft. But I hate their cars.”

“They’re getting better. The other day, I had a brand new Camry.”

Photos by Mark Griffin Champion