TEXT; 001 - locked from laurent

[reticence]

[Faolan is definitely not the sort of person to use the network, not even to respond to it never mind to post to it. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and certainly this is a desperate time indeed.

How do people even usually address posts on this thing? He goes through the last month or so of them before giving up and just flying by the seat of his pants.

You don't even know how many times he rewrote this thing in the first place.]


Let's say, hypothetically speaking, that there was something quite expensive that you had wanted very much, and that someone purchased that something for you when they really didn't have to. Let's say that you could never hope to come up with the money to pay them back in full, but you would like to do something comparable for them for the holidays.

What would you do in such a situation?


[Help him, Retrospec, you're his only hope he desperately needs some advice here.]

Comments

[reticence]

[Huh. That's. Not all that bad a suggestion, actually.]

So essentially. Pampering them for the day, perhaps?

[frisyr]

Um, yeah? Or maybe a little longer if it was really expensive..

[reticence]

It wasn't shared with me just how much was actually paid, but.

They did buy me a digital piano. A good one. Not that money is much of an issue for them, like I said, but. It makes a difference to me. I certainly couldn't have bought it for myself, after all.

[Laurent has been very good to this bodyguard of his.]

[frisyr]

Do you have a brand? They can range a lot in price. Still a really nice gift though! Maybe... make them something? Are you handy?

[reticence]

The brand of the keyboard I got? Of course, it's here.

[Faolan sends him a picture of the keyboard that I can't insert because I am tagging from work which is set up inside the little room Laurent has helped him designate for his musical instruments. He may be able to notice a guitar and an ancient medieval harp propped up in the edge of the room as well.]

I haven't really had the heart to look into it further. It was a gift, after all, it's probably rude to do that. But I know it's good. I know it's expensive. And I'd like to show my gratitude, if I could.

As for the rest... I'm far more handy than I am craftsy, if that's what you're asking.

[frisyr]

WOW, that is a really nice gift.

Okay, whaaaat if you bought furniture at a flea market and then fixed it up

[ He's maybe watching too much HGTV ]

[reticence]

[Uhhh well. He supposes that some people go for that kind of stuff but trying to imagine him showing up and presenting Laurent with something he bought from the flea market, in the midst of all of Laurent's expensive, posh, modern furniture is somewhat laughable.]

I'm not sure... That would go over well.

Not that they're, you know. But they probably have slightly more discerning tastes than that, all things considered.

[frisyr]

That's why you're supposed to fix it up... You can't just buy someone's old sink and call it a gift...

[reticence]

But it's still an old sink no matter how much fresh paint you put on it. Is the point.

Everything else in the apartment is probably less than a decade old, if that. It just wouldn't suit the aesthetic. And they're pretty particular about their aesthetic.

[Or so Faolan assumes. He's never actually done anything to test this, but he's not planning on it either...]

[frisyr]

OK but why are you painting sinks

[reticence]

[SIGHS]

Look, not the sink itself, I meant the. You know. The part the sink goes into. That holds the basin and has all the cabinet drawers and. No, you know what.

This is exactly why I should not be picking up furniture from the flea market in the first place.

[frisyr]

Ok, maybe not.

Um, do you want a coupon for 50% off a massage??

[reticence]

[What?]

Do...you have one?

[Why does this seem suspicious...]

[frisyr]

Yeah I work at a spa.

Ooh, I have 50% off getting your taxes done too but that's not really a great gift UNLESS your friend has complicated taxes

Wait your friend probably has complicated taxes

[reticence]

What? No.

I mean, he does, but he's not the one doing his own taxes, his family -- look, it's complicated.

But honestly. That coupon wouldn't go amiss. If that's a serious offer?

[frisyr]

Of course it's a serious offer, why wouldn't it be? Do I look like the kind of guy to promise something and say just kidding? Come on!!

[reticence]

[Well, I mean... You did just jump from a massage coupon to doing his taxes, he had to ask...]

I suppose it's more the case that I'm the sort of person to have to make sure.