DEAR ABBY: How should one respond to a gift of flowers that either aren't satisfactory or die shortly after arrival? Should the recipient contact the giver or the florist? I recently gifted flowers to a family member and received no fewer than four phone calls in 24 hours expressing disgust at the quality of the gift.
I have taken care of the issue with the florist, but I am a bit taken aback at the response I received from the recipient. -- FRUSTRATED OVER FLOWERS, SUFFOLK, VA.
DEAR FRUSTRATED: Four phone calls in 24 hours from one person complaining about the flowers? I'd call that overkill. The recipient was right in letting you know that you did not get your money's worth in the gift that you sent. (How else would you know?) But you should have been thanked for the thought and for your generosity, as well as informed that you might want to change florists.