Heather had been dating Ben for a little over two months. She quite enjoyed his company but was beginning to realize he was not the man for her. She wasn't so much physically attracted to him as she was entertained by his offbeat sense of humor and his sense of the ridiculous. They'd had some great times together but she was contemplating giving him the "let's just be friends" speech.
On the night of her twenty-eighth birthday, Ben told her he had something special in store for her. Heather felt a twinge of discomfort but told herself she was overreacting. Ben tended to over-dramatize ordinary events, which was part of what made him fun. They enjoyed a fabulous dinner at a beautiful restaurant, then returned to Ben's place so he could present her with his gift.
Heather was amused to discover that Ben had set up a treasure hunt in his apartment. In each of the rooms he'd planted objects containing small folded notes. On each note he's written an obscure message which would lead her to the next clue. Ben pointed out the location of the first clue, then left her to discover the rest.
Heather's anxiety began to mount as she reached the sixth clue. She found it in Ben's walk-in closet, just after she stumbled across three long dart blowers hidden behind his clothes. She'd already noticed the gun cases under the bed. At that moment Ben called out from the living room, "As soon as you find it, I'll shoot us!" Her imagination went into overdrive.
Two minutes later she found the box. It was large and beautifully wrapped. Inside it was a smaller box, and inside that one a third. When she opened the fourth box she saw the diamond ring. Heather was stunned.
By now Ben was beside her. He looked at her face and decided she was overcome with gratitude. "You don't have to say anything now," he murmured. "Just nod if you want to marry me."
Heather calculated her chances. Did he have any poison darts handy? Could she reach the front door before he opened a gun case? No, she decided. She'd have to tough it out.
"What on earth possessed you to buy this for me?" she demanded.
Ben hesitated but quickly recovered. "It doesn't have to be an engagement ring," he backpedaled. "Just accept it as a birthday gift. You can always change your mind later."
"But I can't accept something like this," Heather explained. "I can't stand wearing jewelry."
Ben was so caught up in his fantasy that he hadn't noticed the blatantly obvious. On both counts.
Heather was relieved to discover that the only shooting Ben intended that night was with his camera. But the celebratory mood was over and she left shortly afterwards, minus the ring. She didn't go out with Ben again.
Have you ever miscalculated with a gift? Perhaps not as blatantly as Ben did but there may have been times when you gave the wrong thing to the right person or the right thing to the wrong person. And then wondered why they didn't seem particularly grateful.
Gift giving involves thought and a certain amount of premeditation. If you don't know what to buy, ask. It doesn't have to be the person himself (or herself); you can ask their father, mother, sister or best friend. Just make sure it's someone who knows them well and can tell you what they would like. And don't count on someone's response on a previous occasion. Many people won't tell you if they don't appreciate a gift in an effort to spare your feelings.
Putting thought into your gift selection is usually worth the effort. And perhaps the best thing about receiving a gift you love is the feeling that the other person knows you so well that they knew exactly what to choose.
© Marguerite Bonneville
Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She is a contributing writer at http://www.romantic-gift-ideas-online.com, a resource site dedicated to helping visitors find the perfect romantic gift.
"I'll call you this week". "Yes, I'd love to see... Read More
I let that friend talk me into browsing some pictures... Read More
Your profile is the key to meeting your perfect match... Read More
Quality adult personals are becoming harder to find these days.... Read More
One of the great things about online dating is the... Read More
Guys have all different motives for trying to be successful... Read More
You've hung out in bars, you've answered the personals, you've... Read More
It's another Friday night and I'm bored as sin. There's... Read More
In part one, we looked at the importance of remaining... Read More
"hooking Up" - "friends with benefits" - "booty call"These terms... Read More
The popularity of online dating has increased dramatically over the... Read More
How can you tell if a somebody is interested in... Read More
The rate of new love and marriages is rising as... Read More
In order for a typical woman to have sex with... Read More
Sweet flowers alone can say what passion fears revealing Thomas... Read More
Are you familiar with Seduction Lairs and how to use... Read More
Dating online can be great fun, stimulating and exciting. So... Read More
So you're single. And you don't want to be single... Read More
You are on your way to your first date with... Read More
I don't know if the craze of SMS has caught... Read More
It's unbelievable how many guys have this problem!I mean, you... Read More
When you think about the qualities found in a true... Read More
Don't make these mistakes when searching for love online!"I spent... Read More
In my attempts to find the love of my life,... Read More
Are you dating or in a serious relationship? Did you... Read More
Why is it people, especially the media, thinks that looking... Read More
When dating we all too often settle for someone that... Read More
You have signed up on several large dating sites and... Read More
Did you know that Match.com has around twelve million members,... Read More
Are you dating or in a serious relationship? Did you... Read More
Before you pick up the phone to make reservations for... Read More
So, you're looking to meet that "special someone". You have... Read More
Three years ago, I met my boyfriend Andy through the... Read More
So, you're looking to meet that "special someone". You have... Read More
I don't know if the craze of SMS has caught... Read More
Dear Soulmate,Where are you?? It seems as if I have... Read More
Have you ever been talking to someone you are interested... Read More
Oh, no! Christmas, Hanukah, and New Year's Eve are coming,... Read More
When dating we all too often settle for someone that... Read More
Your dating site profile is the most important tool you... Read More
How often do your married friends complain about husbands who... Read More
How does one know when a relationship is really a... Read More
In part one, we looked at the importance of remaining... Read More
If you're worried and upset about your physical flaws, which... Read More
Well, if you didn't give that someone a bad impression... Read More
"When you truly look for me, You will find me."... Read More
Valentine's Day was initially an outgrowth of an ancient Roman... Read More
There was a time when finding a date, partner, lover... Read More
A few months ago I became single again after a... Read More
I'm writing this for women and for men. I have... Read More
When most "dating gurus" and sex therapists spout their dating... Read More
You are on your way to your first date with... Read More
How many times have you felt the urge to impress... Read More
In order to attract the man of your dreams, it... Read More
Does the waiter know how you like your steak, and... Read More
Men, learn how to behave on dating and personals sites.Being... Read More
Dating and saving money. For many, the two concepts don't... Read More
In the world of online dating misrepresentation is at an... Read More
We are all too familiar with the term "body language".... Read More
In my attempts to find the love of my life,... Read More
Nearly every dating site on the internet claims to offer... Read More
All relationships are clearly not meant to be. Only a... Read More
We've all had that special woman in our lives. You... Read More
Here are some common sense safety tips for meeting your... Read More
So the search for the perfect relationship is tuff. You... Read More
You have signed up on several large dating sites and... Read More
Dating |