Would It Be Rude of Me?...
So my birthday was a few weeks ago. Usually I don't make a big deal of it, as I don't really care for being the center of attention, and I feel this strange sense of modesty from receiving gifts. So usually I just let it subtly slip by, people don't give me anything or usually remember my birthday, then I silently sulk in my personal self-created prison that no one remembered. Usually small sets of friends do remember, though, and that's sweet and kind of good enough for me.
This morning, some friends took me out for brunch as a belated birthday treat, seeing as we were all quite busy around the time of my real birthday. They also presented me with quite a handsome gift, too -- a rather nice leather briefcase from Kenneth Cole Reaction. (Retail price, $200, though I'm certain they got it on some kind of sale.) I thanked everyone for the gift once I opened it, then we proceeded to dine, then eventually got back (gift in tow) and relaxed for the afternoon.
Just now, I got the following text message:
"Uh, thanks for the thank you email for your birthday gift."
Wow. I think I was kind of floored. I've never actually been called out for failing to send out a thank-you email before. Especially less than TWO HOURS after receiving the gift itself.
So I tried to feign stupidity, by responding:
"Huh?"
I really don't know what I expected to result from that particular response, but here's what I actually did get:
"Send Joe and Bob a thank you email for gift."
At least, I suppose, the sender didn't demand a thank-you note for himself. (The three of them chipped in for the item.) But I was still flabbergasted. I truthfully responded:
"Uh, does it have to be an email? Because I was planning on writing out a note-note tomorrow."
Okay, see what I intended? Pretty much I intended to convey the message that I know enough to thank people when they give me a gift, and (hopefully) that the subtext of the message would have included that it's fucking rude to call someone out for not sending out a thank-you.
He responded:
"Perfect."
Uh, what a bitch.
I'm tempted to respond with the following which references a factually accurate circumstance:
"So, uh, when can I expect a thank-you note for the gift I got you for your birthday three weeks ago?"
Would that be bitchy? Unfortunately, I suppose Miss Manners would frown on that particular response.
2 comments:
That was completely rude and out-of-line of your friend. You had just gotten the gift two hours before! Send that reply, or comment in some way that it was unnecessary for him to "remind" you so quickly of proper etiquette, especially with his own track record. Perhaps I'm overreacting, but that's the kind of thing I would carry a grudge about unless I spoke up.
That's total fucking bullshit, and you should have told that asshat where to shove his thank-you.
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