By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian
Patricia Collins' husband has pulled his share of Valentine's Day surprises over 30 years of marriage, but he pulled the heartiest of heartstrings on Tuesday.
The tune lasted a few minutes, which was enough time for just about everybody who works on the library's main floor to assemble into a gawking mass.
“I'm properly embarrassed,” Collins said once the singers wrapped up. “I think my face probably turned as white as this paper.”
Patrick Collins had seen an advertisement from the community chorus offering the chance to buy your sweetheart a singing valentine. The group's Robbin Rose said the singing valentines were envisioned as a way to raise a little money for the chorus, an all-volunteer group that formed in September 2001.
“We thought we might be able to come up with some cash for our organization, plus it just seemed like it would really be fun,” said Rose, whose husband Jon also sang Tuesday.
The group got about 10 calls and made about $400 for its Valentine's Day performances.
“That's a lot of money for us,” she said.
But for folks like Patricia Collins, it was more like the MasterCard commercial - just priceless.
Collins said her husband had taken her out to lunch and given her chocolates earlier in the day, so she figured that was pretty much it for Valentine's. Then up walked a very proper James Aiken, nattily attired in a tux, asking where he might find Patricia. He presented her with a flower as she stood beside her desk, then the singing commenced.
“This will definitely rank as the biggest surprise in 30 years,” she said at the song's end. “Without a doubt.”
After that the singers - Aiken, the two Roses, Jeannie Parr and Suzette Dussault - headed for the Clark Fork Manor to sing to Judy Smith.
Smith is the mother of Nita Hamilton Smith, who also sings with the chorus and, in fact, did the arrangements for the songs sung Tuesday. The appearance of a fetching group in black and red caused considerable hubbub at the manor.
“Are we having a program?” one resident exclaimed.
Judy Smith is 88 years old, and she sat with a beaming smile and a single red rose as her daughter joined the singers for “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and a second tune, “Heart of My Heart.” Judy smiled brightly as the singers worked through the tunes, and voiced her appreciation to her daughter and her colleagues when they were finished.
“I can't believe you did this for me,” she said. “It's such a surprise. Such a nice surprise.”
Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or at mmoore@missoulian.com
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