While meandering in a second-hand store - which I do
on a regular basis - picked up a book on the subject of aphrodisiacs.
Hard-cover book, beautifully presented with a lot of meaningful illustrations -
like Adam and Eve with fig-leaves - it looked brand new. As I'm researching the
subject for a book on food for lovers, I handed over a $1 and left.
The book is more general than detailed, as if
the author was frightened to admit that it is possible that natural foods
could be more helpful than tablets or potions - or whatever it is
that pharmaceutical companies have created.
However, while I didn't find the way the subject was
treated particularly interesting, it was another thing when it came to the
inscription inside.
It appears that the book was a birthday present to her
'dearest' 'forty-year-old' 'son-in-law', hoping that it would give him a lot of
'pleasure' and 'good appetite'.
I don't know what your reaction would be, but I'm wondering
how does a mother-in-law get involved in her son's-in-law bedroom activities.
Is it possible that the daughter came to her mum and with tears streaming down
her face, sobbing uncontrollably all the while, eventually stammered out
pleadingly, 'Oh, mum, Earl (made up name so don't start searching your memory)
'is so hopeless in bed. Please help me. We just can't go on like this,' sob,
sob, sob. And good old mum, always ready to lend a hand, eventually comes up
with a brilliant idea. Of course. A book with a few hints on how to
become more 'manly' as Hippocrates would say, will be just the thing.
One can only imagine the look on the guy's face as he
unwraps the gift and finds what's inside the wrapper; and the reaction of the
fifty or so guests gathered expectantly around him.
I can see from the pristine condition of the book that
it has not been read voraciously - or even at all. And as it ended in a charity
shop it was obviously not the forty-year-old's treasured possession.
And whether the gift was genuinely trying to solve a
problem, or just an embarrassing joke, I hope that if the marriage did have
problems, the book wasn't the last straw.
But just as I'm wondering what was the mother-in-law
thinking at giving such a gift to her son-in-law, I find she's not the only
tasteless gift-giver.
Recently I've read that at one wedding the bride and
groom were given
(a)
A book on aphrodisiacs (absolutely true)
(b)
a packet of nappies for the bride who was expecting (What a thrill!!!)
Anyway, for any wedding guests out there looking for
that perfect wedding gift, CHOOSE WISELY and thoughtfully before you spend your
cash. Better still. forget the gift.
Cash will probably be more welcome.
PS:
Before you go, have I mentioned that I'm researching a book on aphrodisiacs? If
you have any favourite foods that you think might be helpful, let's hear from
you.
