Chapter 9. Social Engagements

Apology for missing party

Lois Brennen

Rolling Meadow

Dear Lois,

I just realized I made a terrible mistake. When we got the invitation to Stan’s birthday I very efficiently put it on my calendar. This was one event that Tom and I definitely did not want to miss.

Unfortunately, although I put it on my calendar, I put it down for the wrong day.

We had hired a babysitter, picked out the perfect present, and were ready to show up at your door a week late when I looked again at your invitation today. I am embarrassed and annoyed.

So, first of all, a belated Happy Birthday to Stan. And secondly, please allow us to make this up to both of you. I’ll call with some ideas.

Fondly,

Sharon

Apology for missing anniversary

Nancy Green

Woodlake Village

Dear Nancy,

I just came to the terrible realization that I forgot your anniversary a week ago.

Please accept my congratulations and my sincere apologies.

I hope you and Jim celebrated that important date in style; Chuck and I would like to take you out for dinner any coming weekend you’re available.

Fondly,

Janice

Apology for missing social event

Jane Evans

Rolling Meadow

Dear Jane,

I want to apologize to you and Don for missing your wonderful dinner party on Saturday. Jim and I were very much looking forward to spending the evening with you and your guests.

As we were preparing to leave for your house I received a call from a friend that my mother had fallen. We ended up spending the evening with her in the emergency room.

The good news is that nothing was broken and she will be fine.

I apologize for not being able to immediately call you. As we rushed out the door we asked one of our neighbors to call you, and I understand that message was delivered rather late in the evening.

I trust you will forgive us, and we hope to join you and your friends on another occasion.

Sincerely,

Ruth

Apology for serving allergenic food

Sarah Milton

Rolling Meadow

Dear Sarah,

Please accept my sincere apologies for the blunder I made with dinner yesterday.

I was not aware you were allergic to shellfish. If I had known I would have chosen a main course that would have been appropriate for all of my guests and not caused you any embarrassment at the table.

That said, you were a most gracious guest. I hope you really did enjoy the leftovers we scrambled to prepare for you.

I hope you will join us again at our next dinner party; please call and discuss your concerns beforehand so that I can make sure you dine as well as all of our guests.

Sincerely,

Claudia O’Connor

Declining dinner invitation because of dispute

Dear Jessica,

Thank you for inviting me to the going-away party you have planned for Sam Bush. I’m certain it will be a very fine recognition of his service to the company.

As you may know, though, Sam and I have agreed on very little over the past couple of years except that we found a means to stay out of each other’s way.

I wish him well in his new job, and I will tell him so if I see him at work.

Under the circumstances, though, I do not feel it would appropriate or comfortable for me to attend the dinner in his honor.

Sincerely,

Ben

Asking for change in dinner club policy

Dear Patrick,

Thank you again for including Wendy and me in your monthly dining group. As newcomers to the area this is a fine way to make new friends.

I do, though, have a question about the arrangements for paying the bill at the various restaurants we visit. At the first two dinners we attended the total bill was divided amongst all those at the table. We think this practice works quite well for food but not for wine and other alcoholic drinks that some members may order.

Wendy and I do not drink alcohol; we don’t mind if others do, but it seems unfair to expect us to pay for drinks of others. (Some of the members of the group seem to be very serious connoisseurs of wine, and some of the bottles cost much more than entrees.)

Can I suggest we ask restaurants to produce one bill for the meals and another for alcohol? I hope this is acceptable to you and all of the others in the group.

Sincerely,

Alex Nagle

Withdrawing from weekly dinner group

Dear Bill,

I want to again thank you for including Anne and me in your informal weekly dinner group. As newcomers to the area we appreciated the introduction to new friends (and new places to eat).

Although it embarrasses me a bit to have to admit this, we have made the decision that we cannot continue. With two children in college and a third reading course catalogs, we need to reduce our expenditures.

Thank you again for asking us. Please pass along our regards to the others in the group.

Sincerely,

Jim

Opting out of anniversary gift

Dear Gretta,

We are looking forward to attending Marvin and Tina’s 50th wedding anniversary.

It sounds like quite the party for such a special couple.

In your note you asked if Ron and I wanted to contribute toward the flat-screen TV you want to give them. I think it is a fine choice, and they certainly will enjoy it.

However, the amount you asked for is a little more than we feel comfortable giving. We would happy to make a smaller donation of $50, or we can give a gift of our own.

Please let me know.

Sincerely,

Fran

Unable to attend reunion because of costs

Gloria Ryan

Rolling Meadow

Dear Gloria,

I’m sorry to tell you that our family will not be able to come to the reunion in Rolling Meadow this year.

The past few months have been quite difficult for us. Ron has been laid off from his job, and my hours at the museum have been drastically cut. We simply can’t justify the expense.

We will be thinking of all of you this summer and hoping for better times next year.

Fondly,

Kim

Unable to attend reunion because of illness

Katerina Sarne

Upper Valley

Dear Katerina,

I wish I had better news, but I don’t. We’re not going to be able to come home for the neighborhood reunion this year.

As I told you a few weeks ago, Lisa has been dealing with the nasty effects of Lyme disease. Lately she has been doing much better and our doctor is hopeful of full recovery, but she is unable to travel for extended periods.

Please pass along our best regards to everyone. We hope and expect to be there next year.

Fondly,

Kim

Response to request about visit

Dick and Dottie Becker

Upper Falls

Dear Dick and Dottie,

I am so glad that you will be able to join us at our home over the Memorial Day weekend. It will be great to see the both of you again and to catch up on old times.

In your note you asked if it would be possible to extend your stay for four more days beyond the weekend.

I wish we could accommodate that request, but we already have some family members who will be arriving the day after you leave.

If you would like, I can look around for rental properties or motels in the area. Please let me know.

Best regards,

Sue

Informing friends about unavailability of summer cottage

Dear Dave and Gretchen,

We hope all is well with you and your family. At long last spring is in the air, and that means summer can’t be far behind.

For the past several years we have taken much pleasure in sharing our cottage on Mirror Pond with you and some of our other close friends. This year, though, I’m afraid we must do things a bit differently.

The expense of maintaining the house has gone up quite a bit, and for at least the coming summer we have decided to put the cottage on the market as a rental property. We already have several leads from people who are considering taking the cottage for most or all of the summer.

We hope you understand. And if we end up with some unbooked time in the fall, we’ll let you know.

Sincerely,

Sandy Webb

Asking friend to make other arrangements for visit

Michael and Laura Jennison

Dear Mike and Laura,

We’re very happy to hear about your new life with your baby boy. We remember well our own experiences with our children, so many years ago.

You asked about staying with us again this summer when you visit Rolling Meadow. We would, of course, very much like to see you and your son.

However, you said in your note that you plan on coming with the baby, a nanny, and your mother. I am afraid our small guest room is just not big enough for that many people, and it would also put a strain on the common rooms, including the kitchen and living room.

There is a lovely three-bedroom house just down the street that is available for rent, and I’m sure there are other possibilities. If you would like me to, I would be glad to find out rates and other information.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Sara

Declining request for long-term visitor

Dear Jen,

I am thrilled to hear that you will be coming to Rolling Meadow to take a graduate course at RMU this spring.

You are and will always be one of my best friends. I’d be happy to squeeze you in for a few days when you arrive, but I’m sorry to say that I simply do not have enough room for you to stay the entire semester.

My apartment is little more than a closet. It’s so small that I have to store much of my possessions at my parents’ house in their basement.

When you come, I’d be happy to show you around and help you find a more permanent place to stay. In the meantime, I will be on the lookout for any sublets or short-term rentals.

Please give me a call soon to discuss details.

Love,

Beth

Declining request for friend’s child to stay

Dear Catherine,

I am delighted to hear that your granddaughter Emily will be attending a seminar this summer at Rolling Meadow University.

It’s hard to believe she is now a college student. Time flies so quickly!

In your note you asked if she could stay with Alan and me at our house. Unfortunately, I must say no.

We travel quite a bit in the summer and would be away. And in any case, our house is on the far side of town from the university. I think it would be much too lonely and isolated for a young woman.

I have heard, though, that the dorms are quite nice. I would be happy to meet Emily and introduce her to Rolling Meadow.

Please have her get in touch with us when she arrives.

Sincerely,

Brenda Noonan

Asking visitors to not bring pets

Phil and Mary Singer

Coverdale

Dear Phil and Mary,

We are thrilled you are going to be able to stay with us in Rolling Meadow over the Fourth of July. We’ll be able to enjoy the fireworks show from our front lawn and have a lot of time to catch up on the last year’s comings and goings.

In your note you asked if you could bring your two Shetland sheepdogs, Jackson and Friskie. While we are looking forward to meeting them, I’m sorry to say that we don’t feel comfortable allowing them to come into our house. Our floors and our collection of antiques are not the best mix with dogs (or young children).

There is a very fine kennel about a mile from our house where you could board the dogs each night and still be able to visit them and take them for walks during the day. Please let me know if you want me to make reservations for your guys.

Sincerely,

Sue

Limiting number of dinner guests

Angela Price

Rolling Meadow

Dear Angela,

I received your note asking if your sister and brother-in-law can come with you to our house on Sunday.

I am truly sorry, but I’m afraid that’s not possible.

As you know, the dinner is a welcome home for our neighbors Marcia and Harry who just returned from Russia. I am working with a caterer on some special dishes, and all of the arrangements have been in place for more than a week. We simply can’t add two more guests now.

I would love to see Mary and Johnny, but we have a very limited space and a special arrangement for the dinner. I hope there will be another opportunity to get together with them.

Sincerely,

Sue

Apologizing for overbearing guest

Monica and Harold Smith

Rolling Meadow

Dear Monica and Harold,

I want to offer my apology for some of the actions of one our guests at dinner last night.

As we told our friends, Phil is a colleague of Sam’s at the university. He is very intelligent and has a fascinating background and many interests. Unfortunately, all of that was pretty much lost at dinner when he chose to lecture us all on his political views.

I know that Sam and I disagreed with many of Phil’s positions, and I suspect most of our guests were also unhappy with his views and the fact that he pretty much monopolized the conversation around the table.

Please accept our apologies; you were most gracious and we all survived the evening. I hope you will come to dinner the next time we invite you. I guarantee you the guest list will be different in at least one name.

Sincerely,

Gail

Asking for vegetarian meal at reception

Lisa Ames

Dear Lisa,

Mitch and I would be honored to attend the wedding of your daughter Karen to her fiancé Paul.

Thank you for inviting us; we are honored.

We were asked to select an entree from the three dinner choices. Mitch and I are vegetarians. Do you think you could ask the caterer to arrange for two dishes without meat or dairy products for us?

The meal aside, we’re sure you are so excited and happy at the prospect of the marriage. We look forward to seeing you at the ceremony and the reception.

Fondly,

Lori