The good news is that you don’t even have to be a mother to enjoy this week’s little story!

Brian invited his mother over for dinner and during the course of the meal, his mother couldn’t help but notice how beautiful, Jennifer, his new flat mate was. When Jennifer had first moved in, Brian had insisted that their relationship was purely platonic and Jennifer of course had her own room. But over the course of the evening meal, whilst watching the two of them interact, she started to wonder if there was more between Brian and Jennifer than met the eye. Seeing his mother watching them, when they were alone in the kitchen after dinner, Brian had volunteered, “Mum, I know what you are thinking, but I can assure you that Jennifer and I are just good friends, flatmates and nothing more.”

About a week later, Jennifer told Brian, “I’ve noticed that since your mum came to visit us last week, that beautiful silver gravy ladle has disappeared, you don’t suppose she took it do you?” Brian said, “I doubt she’d do something like that, but I’ll send her an e-mail and ask.” So he sat down and wrote; Dear mum, I’m not saying you did take the gravy ladle from our house and I’m not saying you didn’t, but the fact remains that it has been missing ever since you came over for dinner. – Love, Brian.

Several days later Brian received an e-mail back from his mum which read; Dear Son, with regard to the missing gravy ladle, I’m not saying that you are sleeping with Jennifer and I’m not saying that you are not. But the fact remains that if Jennifer was in fact sleeping in her own bed and not in yours, she would certainly have found the missing gravy ladle by now. – Love Mum.

No one ever said that life wouldn’t be complicated. Associate yourself only with trustworthy people, even if this requires some tough choices involving family and friends.


Alexandra Stoddard.