Please and Thank You

No, not "mama" and "papa" as the first words babies learn speak.  The first words babies should be taught to speak are "please" and "thank you."

I know I'm being a tad cynical of the capabilities of early toddler hood.  However, I get sick of hearing how wonderful, smart, and talented these toddlers are along with floods of photos that I'm certain YOUR toddler is more than capable of saying "please" and "thank you" waaaaaaaaay before the others.

No?  Not the case with your toddler?  Awwwwwwww.  mama and papa it is.  Sadly, the parents oblige enforcing the notion that Toddler really is the center of the universe.  Time passes and toddler soon turns into a teenager.  Toddler soon turns adult thereafter.

Great.  You all created yet another selfish asshole for the rest of us to deal with.  Thanks.  Like the world did not have enough of them already.

Which brings me to the thankless.  I was invited to a wedding back in November.  I heard about the wedding for the year prior ad nauseum from the bride's mother (of course).  Pictures, websites, gift registries, blah, blah, blah, venues, etc.  I only met the bride once or twice.  However, an invitation did arrive in the mail despite the fact that the bride herself would not be able to pick me out in a police line up.  I'm a casual friend of the bride's mother.

Whatever.  I looked at the date and awwwwww...so SAD (not).....I was scheduled to be out of state for work.  A polite person always answers invitations promptly and with a definitive yes or no.  Hedging your reply to an invitation to see if something better comes up is a no-no.  Also, accepting an invitation and later revoking your response (unless there are dire circumstances that prevent you from your acceptance) is even a bigger faux pas.

I promptly reply with my regrets but wanted to send the couple something for their wedding.  I spoke with the bride's mother to see what they needed.  I took the time to shop for their gift and sent it to the bride's address in the east bay at least a month prior to the actual wedding ceremony.  Yesterday I received in the mail a mass produced Christmas card-like photo of the bride and groom with the pre-printed wording of  "Thank you for coming to our wedding.  It meant so much to us to have you there."

Apparently not.  I was not there.  The card was not signed, nor was there any mention of the gift I took thought and time to select end send to them.  I have no idea if they even received it.  It would have been better to received no thank you at all than a mass produced, erroneous one.  Thankless.

I'm certain there will be a baby shower in the not too distant future and the cycle of selfishness will continue.  I'll make certain to send a whole lot of nothing.  I'm done with thankless ingrates.