** Click here for Episode 186 **
Keep your knees together, balance a book on your head and invoke the ghost of Lucie Clayton, because we’re going to tackle a couple of etiquette questions. Read, assimilate, then offer your advice in the comments, firstly to Stan from Leeds:
Last weekend I celebrated my 20th birthday. I didn’t see my girlfriend on the day because she was at a festival, but we made plans to meet up in the week and make up for it.
However, we ended up breaking up before I saw her. It was moderately amicable, yet obviously things are going to be awkward for some time.
So answer me this: does she still owe me any presents she bought me, as we were still going out on my birthday, we just couldn’t see each other?
On top of this, her birthday is less than a week after mine and I spent a decent amount of money on gifts for her, which I don’t think I can return anymore. So what should I do with those?
If you’re absolutely sure you can’t return any, then think about who else might be a suitable recipient for them. Of course this won’t work out too well if you bought her a load of rude underwear with her pet name embroidered onto it, but at least there’s a place for everything on eBay.
As for her presents for you: sure, you’re technically owed them, but think carefully about whether you really want them. If they’re really great presents, showing how much she truly understood you, you’ll never be able to enjoy them thanks to the bittersweet tang of a love that died. Whereas if they’re shit presents, they’re shit presents, and nobody wants shit presents.
And let’s not discount the possibility of her breaking up with you to avoid having to get you a present at all.
Onwards, to this question from Sebastian from Ascot:
I was at my uncle’s last weekend and he had had a few drinks and just before I was going to bed he said if I needed his pornography it was under the stairs and this was in front of my mum and she goes, “He wouldn’t need that, he’s only 16…” So answer me this: what the hell should I have said?
Errr – you think I have access to official guidelines for how to act in this scenario?
Subscribe with iTunes • Book • Question Archive • Episodes • Merch
• iPhone App • Android App • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube • FAQ
Answer Me This! Podcast 
Answer us back: