Mr Coeur de Lion Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 My wife and I use Palm Pilots, little portable computer / organisers in which we can read books, listen to mp3's, etc etc, we even have a couple of French English dictionaries on them.We each upgraded to a more powerful model and gave our old ones to the daughters of our best friends here in France. We did this about 6 months ago. Unfortunately, the younger daughter has recently somehow managed to break the lcd screen on hers, thus rendering it useless. They told us about this and I said I would search ebay and the internet to see if I could get a replacement screen. So far I have been unable to.However every time we see them, the mother of the girls keeps saying in French how much of a shame it is that the palm pilot has broken and how sad her daughter is etc etc, it feels basically like she's putting us on a guilt trip. Ok, fair enough it is a shame, but is she expecting us to replace it? Do the French think this way? Is it a cultural thing and we are obliged to replace it? They are making us feel responsible, yet we wern't the ones to break it. It feels the same as if we'd sold a car to a friend which breaks down a year later. Always feeling responsible for it even though we aren't.I know it's sad, but we don't have 200 euros to throw away each time she breaks it. What does everyone think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Don't let yourself be sucked into the guilt trip! It's her fault, and her responsibility, and it sounds like Ma is just fishing - perhaps she thinks you are a minor branch of the Rothschilds!Perhaps if she had paid for it she would have looked after it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted May 28, 2006 Author Share Posted May 28, 2006 Thanks. That's what I thought. My conscience is clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Dick - I absolutely love your common sense. Really. It is refreshing and I always enjoy your posts.Keep um comin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Why thank you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 I think Dick's got it right with his comment about Rothschilds. I think that your more than generous gifts may have led them to think that you're really well off. Even if you were (are?), it still seems a bit of a cheek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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