Following on from the current discussion on etiquette, it reminds me of the old tale of the young girl and her tearful farewell to her father as she left the family home to start her university career. Several weeks go by and her first letter home arrives;
”having a wonderful time…meeting all sorts of interesting people from all sorts of backgrounds…please send money and a book on social etiquette…your loving daughter…”
Loving father of course sends the cash and after some searching sends a book on etiquette.
Time passes, the next letter arrives;
“have been invited by my new friends to spend Christmas with them at their country house…hope you don’t mind that I won’t be home for Christmas…please send money and another book on social etiquette…your loving daughter…”
Slightly put out, the loving father sorts out some more cash and another etiquette book and sends them off, just a little bit pleased that his daughter is making new friends obviously of the right sort.
The next letter arrives;
“Christmas was wonderful…life very expensive…send more money and a book on advanced etiquette…see you at Easter”
Again, loving father dutifully scrapes together more cash and a book on advanced etiquette, taking solace in the prospect of his beloved daughter’s imminent first visit home after all these months.
Easter arrives and daughter arrives home looking radiant and very obviously pregnant.
Father as he gets over the shock asks who the father is only to be told that she doesn’t know at which point he screams "three books on social etiquette and you still can’t manage “With whom do I have the pleasure?”

Calum
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