Dear Beans,
It’s been a while now since my last letter and things have not gotten any better. As life does drop many a hindrance in my way, so too does it reward me in such bounteous ways. For instance, my friends are far too generous. Why during the last couple of months I have received a plethora of items through the post. These have included my favourite film on DVD, on no less than five occasions, as well as numerous other DVDs and CDs containing music the likes of which my ears have never heard. Each time I come home from work there is always something waiting for me in the post. The day that I return and my letterbox is empty is the day I utter a large, “tut tut tut” to the sky.
But how does one repay these gifts of kindness? How can I hope to ever give back that which has previously been given to me? What can I give to them to try and redress the balance?
I mean it’s hopeless. I could attempt a similar feat but when it comes to this extreme level of thoughtfulness you have to offer something more otherwise it will just come across as hollow and meaningless. This is a conundrum that requires more consideration than most.
If there is anything at all, any piece of advice that you can serve like a ring of crackers on a silver platter, then please send it my way.
Yours faithfully,
Mr/Mrs/Dr X
9 comments on “Dear Beans… Considerate Companion Conundrum”
This is a difficult social etiquette conundrum that troubles most people at some point in our lives. It’s perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed of.
Have you thought about maybe using some sort of shared blog site to record the things you receive and maybe indicate that you’ve at least sampled them once by offering a summary of your opinions on them? Surely the friends who so generously donated these things would be delighted to know what you made of them.
Our leaflet on dementia and warts may help. You can pick it up from your local post office.
I think what this person needs is that leaflet, obviously, and also to stop hiding behind day to day responsibilities and just tell these people how great they are. Because they are great.
Face-smushingly great.
Thigh-slappingly great.
(My phone wants to correct “slappingly” to “slapping lulu”. What a world we live in.)
I’ve often said that Lulu needs a slap in the face. Her career does not impress me. I think your phone is right. What else does it say?
My phone has said its piece on Lulu and is remaining tight lipped.
In answer to the original question, one further thought occurs to me about how you might show your appreciation to the people who sent all that lovely music and those wonderful films. If there was some kind of book you could write a story in, maybe you could do that and send it on. That’s a common method of showing gratitude round my way.
Your phone needs to stop being so picky and give up the goods. I heard its late night podcast recently; it was slagging off everything with a pulse.
I don’t listen to my phone’s podcasts any more. I don’t like their chude. I especially don’t like what it says about me in them.
You get off pretty lightly. It’s what he says about my mum that should be heavily censored. I’m not sure that it’s even met her, that’s what piddles (a cross between a puzzle and a riddle) me.
Yeah. I don’t understand it either. It’s a real ruzzle.