Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Text That Broke The Camel's Back!


Okay, I'll admit it... I'm a petty man by nature. I can't talk about other people's faults and not talk about my own. I don't ask for much in life but, the little that I do ask for, I expect to get. No excuses... that's just how I am. I have certain rules of etiquette. If you are a friend of mine and you break these rules, you may not be a friend of mine much longer. I suppose it all began in the first grade...

Christmas was approaching and we were having something called a pollyanna so, I had to get a gift for the person whose name I pulled from the hat. My uncle took me to the "five and dime" store (better known as Woolworth) on 52nd street and we bought a nice bright racing car for the person that I would have wanted for myself. I was so proud of the gift that I couldn't wait for my school chum to open it... I was just bursting with joy. Do you know what I got in return? A pair of socks! That's right... the cheap bastard got me a pair of socks and what was worse, they were too big. My mother, grandmother, and uncle thought it was funny but, I didn't find the humor in it because I wanted a toy too.

From that day on, I rarely (if ever) participated in pollyannas... not family, not school, not college, not fraternity, not in the Air Force, and definitely not at any job. People have probably called me "Scrooge" but, I have always declined to participate just the same. Now don't get me wrong, if I have a friend or acquaintence that I'm particulary close to or fond of, I will buy them a nice gift and not necessarily expect anything back. But, that's different because I wanted to give them a gift and not because I was part of some organized tradition where I was supposed to give a gift and expect to get something equally nice back!

With my friends, and especially my close friends, I expect some parity too. For instance, I had a friend (and the emphasis is on HAD) who I would get a birthday gift and a Christmas gift for every year. When my birthday would come around, I would be lucky if I got a card and I would get my Christmas gift about three months later on my birthday as a sort of combination gift. I didn't want to bring it up to them because that would have been kinda... well, you know, in poor taste.

Eventually, I stopped buying birthday gifts and Christmas gifts for this person and just started sending cards. Recently, this person had the nerve to mention to me that I didn't buy gifts and I played the "poor mouth" card. I said that I was married, had a family, and now with grandchildren so, I just couldn't swing it.

A few days before my birthday this year I got a text message saying "Happy Birthday" from this person. It was the kind of text that makes noise and the phone provider probably sends you. I shook my head... I couldn't believe it. Come Mother's day, I called my friend (as I do every woman I know) and wished her a "Happy Mother's Day". I mean, come on... it's Mother's Day. You know what I got yesterday? A Text message that said "Hapy Father's Day" and it wasn't even spelled right. Come on... they left out one of the p's! Well, that was the text that broke the camel's back.

Am I too old fashioned to expect a call? I make calls. If we are good friends, shouldn't we be a little more personal than a text? Don't get me wrong... a text message is cool for a lot of things but so uncool when you're asking somebody out on a date, when you're breaking up with somebody (to me, that's downright cowardly), and when you're sending greetings for birthdays , Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. Is it just me? I like a call or a face-to-face, if possible. You can text me about the game, Kanye West's new album, the guy's toupee' in church that fell off when pastor really got to goin' in his sermon. But dammit, call me or come see about me on the days that really matter!

27 comments:

The Dreamy One said...

You are not the only one who feels that way.

But some people just don't get it and never will!

I feel the same way about friendship!

CareyCarey said...

Woolworths & JJ Newberrys *lol*

I am feeling this one. we're getting old. I don't do much texting. I do but I don't. All of my phone notifications are different. If the ring is a text message I sort of wait until I have time to look at the message (sometimes I forget). I had one person call me today and said I didn't return their call. Hell, they had text me a happy fathers day. They could call to tell me I didn't answer their call, which was actually a text but they couldn't call to say what they text. Some people send out group text msgs ... "hi, thinking about you" I didn't know people did that mess until I saw a friend of mine receive about 10 calls back to back. I said what the heck is going on. They said they sent a text msg ...the same text ....to 10 people.

This text thing is like the kids that can't count or make change at McDonalds. They just push a button.

A Free Spirit Butterfly said...

I removed the texting feature from my phone. I don't care for it. If you're my friend, I would like a call, a letter or a Halmark (smile) anything but an unannounced visit (lol)

People come in and out of our lives for a reason and or season, maybe that "friendship" has come to the end of the road!

Love ya!
China

clnmike said...

It's the way of the world today. I used to feel the same way about e-mails. Everything is rushed and self centered.

Angel said...

I cant believe they had the cheek to mention that you stopped getting gifts!!

No way!

Anyway my rule is, I TEXT aquaintences but I CALL friends

James Perkins said...

As usual a great story...a couple of funny stories to be exact..but I see your points...There is a certain amount of social decorum that people are no longer following in this very self centered impersonal age.

Toni said...

LOLO I love your stories Keith and the lessons you have learned and teach us from them.

Angie B. said...

I text a lot and for many reasons..Ihave never broken up with anyone over a text.lololol.

Simon Bastion said...

A young lady broke it off with me via text...I felt the same way you must have when you got the poorly spelled Father's Day text.

Tate2 said...

I asked a girl out via text message...I guess that's why I never got a response back huh? lolol..I never thought of it the way you put it.

Swaggie said...

I used to text a lot...it's not my thing anymore...my thumbs get tired and sore.

Cheryl said...

Too Funny!

Brenda said...

I don't text about important things,but I probably do text more than I should now of days.

Sean said...

All this texting...Isn't it easy just to call someone and talk?

Sunflower said...

We have become so impersonal as a culture that it is in fact to e-mail or text rather than talk to someone or meet face to face.

Vanessa said...

Texting isn't so bad...Sometimes you need to convey something to someone and you don't want other people to hear the conversation.

I agree though..it is rather in poor taste to wish someone a Happy Birthday or ask for a date via text.

Halo said...

I agree with you about friendship and how it has become so impersonal
and one sided.

Lisa said...

You're preaching to the choir here.
Text messages like the ones you were talking about just irk the hell out of me...It shows me that the person didn't care enough to buy a damn crad..How much is a card? $2.00??? I wish someone would!!

Jazzy said...

Great peice Fam! I wholly agree!

Grover Tha Playboy said...

Dealing with the high volume of women I deal with,I find texting essential..but when it's a birthday or a holiday..I do make it personal..I call or send flowers!

Captain Jack said...

I feel the same way Keith..Before I got hooked up with my present SO,Two guys tried to pick me up via text...I so side eyed them it wasn't funny.

Anonymous said...

I hardly ever call people. So when I do call they think something is wrong. I'll admit I did send a mass Fathers Day text, but I called the important people.

Anonymous said...

I don't text important things but I love texting.

Tate2, I'm pretty sure that's why you didn't get a call back. LOL A dude did the same thing to me. He was put on ignore status.

Solomon said...

@ Free Spirit Butterfly: I don't care that much for texting either, and a call or visit is always appreciated. I'll take an unannounced visit from someone, but it does depend on who that someone is. *lol*

Rich Fitzgerald said...

Actually on days like Father's Day, I don't mind the text messages. I have my wife and kids around, so I'm good. Now, I do expect to hear from my oldest daughter who lives in Florida, but other than that, I'm good on the calls.

♥ CG ♥ said...

LOL. You sound like one of my friends who had a similar experience with the gift/card giving. Some folks are worth the extra effort, but even more aren't.

E.M.H. said...

I text a lot on a daily basis, but when it comes to the people that I love and care about...i'm definitely do more than just sending a text message. I am a person of action and action can speak louder than words most of the time :-) People have gotten lazy when it comes to doing for others and have gotten more selfish but expect the world in return...UMMMMM NO. Relationships, no matter the type (romantic or friendships) take effort to maintin on both parts!!!!




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