If this topic caught your interest, you’d know how special a handwritten love note is — to give and to receive.

It’s been a long time since I last experienced that nervous anticipation of swapping love notes but I still like the tradition of them. It makes me feel warm inside.

It took time to create a message and just as much time to get a response. We didn’t know the outcome of our message until we received a reply. During that time, fluttering hearts made the journey to discovery deliciously wonderful.

A close friend might’ve been invited into the loop to assist us in deciphering love notes received or helping to construct new ones to send. Every heartfelt angle had to be mapped out in the right words to make sure enough of the right things were said the right way — but not too much to sound weird or desperate!

Some high school note swaps weren’t between students. On rare occasions, the exchange occurred between a pupil and a member of staff. This kind of note wouldn’t be one the faculty or the community would approve of. A teacher could be reprimanded or fired over the contents of such a love letter.

While you and I did good, studious things behind our high school desks, some students were in contact with their teachers covertly. A discreet note was placed in a homework book or an assignment paper, and the exchange happened on the teacher’s desk, right in front of every other student at the beginning of the day.

Nobody else knew about these kinds of notes, not even close friends.

I can’t say how often this happened, but I know one that occurred when I was a teen. It was a time when phone messaging wasn’t available. Handwritten notes were standard. There was no choice but to use paper and a pen for everything.

When it came to swapping notes, the teacher collected our books at the beginning of class, marked them during the lesson and then handed the homework books back to us at the end of class. One young lass always had a special message concealed inside her homework book. It was obvious. I saw her pay unusual attention to that book the second we left the classroom.

Anna couldn’t help herself. She frantically flicked through its pages and snatched at something between the book’s leaves. Whatever it was went straight into her pocket — a dead giveaway.

And then there were those gooey eyes she wore during each lesson. When Mr Yublinski was there, Anna’s widened pools drowned him in them. Nothing else in the room existed.

There was a brief moment when I considered speaking to her about her lack of subtlety but decided against it. About a week later, rumours developed among the student body about their secret affair. A month after that, there was an investigation. As there was no proof of one existing, life went on like nothing happened. The couple cooled off, and Anna did her best to play down looks across the classroom. The school year ended, and the senior class graduated. Three months later, Anna announced her engagement to — you guessed it — Mr Yublinski.

Oh yes, they were adamant that it didn’t start until after the school year ended. No one bought it, but the school was satisfied.

The couple got married and had a daughter. She must be about thirty now. As far as I know, they are still together, living life and loving each other today.

I care about love letters, first loves and first kisses.

But I am in two minds about teachers and students sharing love letters and starting their affairs during school hours.

–Michael