DEAR MISS MANNERS: I took a friend to lunch to celebrate her birthday, and received an email thanking me even though “the food wasn’t very good.”
As an anniversary gift, I gave a couple theater tickets for a play I know they very much wanted to see. They sent a note saying how much they appreciated the gesture, even though they “wished the seats had been closer to the stage.”
How would you respond to such critiques?
GENTLE READER: “I’m so sorry you were disappointed. I will not be running the risk of disappointing you again.”