The Mess Up
So I messed up — not just a minor goof, but a serious one. And to top it off, it involved someone who’s so important to me that I can’t adequately put it into words. I won’t go into the details, just suffice it to say that I made a decision that was convenient to me (and fostered some of my denial about my son’s behavior), but was disrespectful and downright rude. The recipient of my actions was brave enough to call me when she discovered the results of my denial and was kind enough to frame her call as being concerned about me. There’s no doubt in my mind that this was true, but I can’t express how classy, mature and genuinely kind this approach was. In fact, I have tears thinking about the call as I write this. A lesser woman would have (understandably) called me in anger.
Needless to say, I apologized and felt a degree of shame and sadness that can’t be measured.
We can’t go backwards, friends, but we can move forward, ask forgiveness and take steps to insure that our mistakes won’t be repeated. So onward, right?!
Take comfort, dear readers, that the rest of the post isn’t as heavy as above. As usual, the clouds part and levity returns.
The Apology Bouquet
After the call, I decided that I needed to send her something — a beautiful bouquet. That’s the ticket, something that was beautiful and expressed again how sorry I was. Enter 1-800 Flowers. I perused the site and picked what I thought was the perfect arrangement. It was a beautiful collection of creamy white roses and winter greenery contained in a pitcher that goes perfectly with her home. I completed the order and wrote a heartfelt note about knowing how hard she works and that I truly didn’t intend to add to her burden.
Here’s a picture:
The “Apology” Bouquet – aka, What Was Going to be Delivered
My apology bouquet was to be delivered yesterday. I anxiously waited for the delivery confirmation as I really wanted her to get it the day after our call. I checked late last night and it hadn’t been delivered, but they were going to attempt again today. No sweat, no problem.
This morning, I got an email about the delayed delivery. I scrolled down and there was a note about the actual bouquet that was “ordered.” It was there that I looked in horror about what arrangement was going to be delivered. Here was the title of the arrangement:
Holly Jolly Tulip, 15 w/Santa Vase,Reindeer,Cookie
WHAT?!?! Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Who apologizes with something labeled “Holly Jolly” or with a Reindeer and a Cookie??????? What cruel joke is this?! Here’s a picture of the substitute they thought was appropriate for my heartfelt choice:
Totally has that apology vibe, doesn’t it? I immediately called and spoke to Wilma in customer service. She stated that the original order was cancelled by another agent as the local florist didn’t have what I ordered. They then substituted the Holly Jolly. I told Wilma that this was totally inappropriate for the reason I was sending the bouquet and that I wanted the order cancelled immediately. Wilma then started reading the card that I had written for the original order and stated “Oh My God! That is so Wrong!” (What they substituted, not me). We had a good laugh and she immediately cancelled and apologized to me. In the end, it all worked out and I was able to laugh with Wilma. Hopefully, I’m going to be able to laugh about it with the recipient today, too.
Onward, friends. And I hope you all have a Holly Jolly Reindeer and Cookie Holiday.
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