I have an etiquette situation/question.

[Ilsa]

A friend gave birth to her umpteenth baby last week. As is customary, about 24 hours later I took a large casserole and "fixins" and fresh fruit and finger food over for the mommy with lots of other kids.

No one was home, so I called and left a message that I had food and a meal for them (or the kids). No one called me back so I put it in the freezer and ate the fruit rather than let it spoil.

Today, my husband saw the daddy (they work together) and he said they haven't been gone, but maybe they were asleep, and they have trained (more like frightened) the kids into not answering the door (even for a friend). My husband said something like, "Well my wife has a meal in th efreezer for you that she'd like to bring over." The daddy is nonresponsive or answers vaguely according to my husband.

Should I offer my food again? I don't want to push it, but I haven't gotten any response from these people. Should I call again or wait for her to call me? Right now I'm too pissed to think clearly. I was thinking about giving it to someone else who might appreciate it. I appreciated the meals others brought us right after my kids were born.

[Bunny]

1. Take it over.

They may be so overwhelmed that they aren't even able to think about etiquette right now.

[Left Is Write]

2. After those nonresponses...

I'd eat the meal myself or offer it to another friend who might appreciate it.

*I* would appreciate the effort you went to. One would hope most people would.

[GCP]

3. Sounds to me like they're not interested

Eat it yourselves and let her get her own damn food the next time she spawns! :evilgrin:

[Merrick]

4. Throw it through their front window

with a note that reads: "Enjoy"

[Ilsa]

5. The kids would eat it that way!

And since it is frozen, chunking it would take out about half the wall, too! I could throw in some cig lighters for the kids to play with and heat the food with. I bet she was so busy teaching them not to answer the door for a friend that she didn't bother to show them what a cig and lighter look like. (Yeah, I'm pissed. I drove to the edge of town for this.)

[Merrick]

9. Throw in some hairspray and wave that family bye-bye

teach them to reject your food.

[skygazer]

6. I don't see why you're pissed

Just because you appreciated meals doesn't mean everyone does. They have no obligation to either accept it or answer the door - they didn't ask you to prepare it.

It was a nice gesture, they obviously don't want it, give it to someone else.

[Ilsa]

7. I'm as mad at myself for going to the trouble of trying to help

someone who doesn't have the courtesy to call and say "No thanks" if they didn't want it. Also, they live just outside of town (they refuse to pay city taxes), and taking something over is just as inconvenient as making something.

[Astrochimp]

10. no need to be mad at yourself, you.....

did "the right thing", and that is all YOU can do.

Plus, you have a name to cross off the list.


David

[Ilsa]

12. I feel better now.

Thanks a bunch. I just needed more time to process these latest events. I think the next move should be hers, if there is one.

[Ready4Change]

8. Hide behind their bushes.

When the kids come out to go to school, jump out and force feed them!

(Kidding!)

(Honest. It would be better to hit the rearmost kid with a tranquilizing dart, then the next, etc... Otherwise the others will run while you forcefeed the first one you catch. This way you can tie them up and forcefeed them all.)

(How dare they reject your food? Ingrates. :) )

[Ilsa]

14. Honestly, a "no thanks" over the phone would have suited me fine.

Would have made it alot easier.

[leftofthedial]

11. send them a case of condoms instead

and eat the food yourself

[Ilsa]

13. Nah. They're church-going, homeschooling. Bible-carting,

cash-paying fundies. A case of condoms would be a waste of the earth's resources.

[Hobarticus]

15. Obviously doesn't appreciate the gesture, so eat it yourself...n/t