Aren't you happy for a friend when the announce their engagement? Of course. In fact, you try to make every part of this special event memorable. You wonder what the rush is or why there is an apparent competition with others either getting married or just recently married. But, non the less you smile when all the details are being revealed. Finally the engagement party is planned. You round up your co-workers to "do the right thing" even though the recipient is not the most liked person in the office. In fact, she is quite disliked. Anyway, you collect quite a bit of money. With the money we get a nice suite for them to spend the night (an escape from the "ready made" family), an extremely romantic basket is made to enhance the evening and the balance of the money is given to the couple to assist in planning of this wedding (as it was made quite clear that they needed the money). Their engagement party was unusual to say the least, neither family had anything to do with the other and the co-workers were not acknowledged by anybody including the "groom-to-be" (who I might add is friends with at least half of us). We all leave the party with a strange feeling.
We soon notice that the friend is no longer wearing the engagement ring. Upon probing a little by her closest friends, we discover that the wedding is off. Over time, we realise that the gifts are not being returned as etiquette requires. The room was wasted (we are not sure to this day if they even went that night)and the money was gone. Not another word is said regarding the wedding.
Time passed, but not a lot when not only does she have a new boyfriend. But now she is living with him. Within 6 months from the first wedding date planned, the announcement comes that she is engaged again. To this new boyfriend. Shock and dismay run through the office since last anyone knew she threw this boyfriend out and was no longer with him. And the ring (if at all even real-we are all a little unsure)looks like the one from the first fiancee.
The dilemma is now this: Do you give another gift when the engagement party is announced? Nobody wants to waste their money again even if it is wrong to penalize the new "groom-to-be". But as the old saying goes: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me". What is the proper thing to do?
We soon notice that the friend is no longer wearing the engagement ring. Upon probing a little by her closest friends, we discover that the wedding is off. Over time, we realise that the gifts are not being returned as etiquette requires. The room was wasted (we are not sure to this day if they even went that night)and the money was gone. Not another word is said regarding the wedding.
Time passed, but not a lot when not only does she have a new boyfriend. But now she is living with him. Within 6 months from the first wedding date planned, the announcement comes that she is engaged again. To this new boyfriend. Shock and dismay run through the office since last anyone knew she threw this boyfriend out and was no longer with him. And the ring (if at all even real-we are all a little unsure)looks like the one from the first fiancee.
The dilemma is now this: Do you give another gift when the engagement party is announced? Nobody wants to waste their money again even if it is wrong to penalize the new "groom-to-be". But as the old saying goes: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me". What is the proper thing to do?
No comments:
Post a Comment