Spring showers (sigh); unless the area where you live is suffering from a severe drought, most of you, and me too, would be happier if we had less rather than more rain every spring. But spring is the time when we finally get some good, warm, coat-free weather, and by the time the end of May rolls around, it is the time when we most often think that yes, spring is finally here, and summer is only around the corner.

Spring being the time of renewal for the trees and flowers, is also the time when most of us emerge from our winter ‘hibernations’ — the time when we often take advantage of the opportunity to gaze lovingly at the females who walk through our lives. Think about it — didn’t you fall in love for the first time; I mean really experience the wonders of a woman once the temperatures got warmer? Did your experience happen something like this:

You were in a store somewhere when you first noticed her. You couldn’t take your eyes off her, and as she walked away, she was completely unaware of your existence. You watched her until she was no longer in sight. Wasn’t that how it was for you? Then you showed up at a local gallery, or maybe it was a bank where she worked as a temp receptionist, and she looked at you for the first time, likely wondering who you were, and why were you standing there before her. You said a few words to her then you walked off. You hoped she was impressed and wondered if she was watching you as you left. If she was, you didn’t know it.

Now that she was in your head, you would see her more and more. She would be studying alone on a bench on the campus, or within the school library. You were captivated. Then one day, you stood under a building’s canopy hoping the April showers would let up. She appeared from nowhere and handed you an umbrella before she ran off unprotected into the rain without you. Days later, you found an opportunity to return an umbrella. You caught her off guard and she was unsure of herself or not sure how to deal with you. She said that the umbrella wasn’t the one she gave you, and she wouldn’t accept it. You left it there and walked away. Things are never easy when you are young, are they?

But you persevered. You had never felt like this before. All you could think of was this girl. She looked at you with those eyes and you felt as if you could look at her forever and you’d be ever so happy to be able to do so. So more planning was needed. One day in the lecture hall, you surprised her by popping up next to her to return the correct umbrella, and you had attached a note with your telephone number. You were so petrified, you immediately ran off. But now you had some hope.

The ball was in her court now. Would she call you? Or wouldn’t she? Oh, what exquisite agony as you waited … and hoped … and waited some more. Then she finally got up enough nerve and called you. You were nervous and edgy and you never thought she might be just as nervous. But the date was made for an afternoon coffee.

It went so well. Next you started to meet her in the library, and you both looked for each other in the halls. You met and talked about everything. You sensed something was happening, but you were still shy. And after that one afternoon as you huddled so close at the corner table in the coffee shop, and you still didn’t kiss her, you told yourself that absolutely, definitely, and especially, that you would kiss her on the next date.

Then, on a day in the park, as the two of you listened as a musician practiced alone, something magical happened. The moment was just right. You took her hand, and you both had the same thoughts and the same tender expression in your eyes. And there it was, that special moment as you shared that first kiss. And was all of this because of an April shower? Well maybe. But no matter, it is a moment like this that we carry with us throughout our lives.

Before we leave the young lovers, from the film Calmi, Cuori, Appassionati, let’s have a look at what happens later in the film. The girl (Aoi) is played by Kelly Chen from Hong Kong. The boy (Junsei) is portrayed by the Japanese actor Yutaka Takenouchi. The romance flowers before it is broken up by Junsei’s father. Both Aoi and Junsei pursue their careers separately and somehow the meet up again in Florence, Italy a decade later.

We are treated to some beautifully shot visuals and they will reinforce the beauty of travel as well as why we enjoy romantic movies.

But we do know the real reason why you’re here at this site. Please come by JustMeMike’s New Also on Video often, and we’ll show you some women that will make you forget all about rainy days, and your youthful awkwardness around that first girl of your dreams of long ago.

Originally published in AoV in the spring of 2004, this article has been updated on May 25th, 2007.