Dear White Chocolate Mess,
Ok, I know 'mess' is part of your name but I doubt it comes anywhere close to the state of my friend's apartment, which I visited this past Thanksgiving. It looked like a crime scene, and disturbed me so much it took all of my strength to not run screaming for my life.
I don't want to go into details because it gives me the chills but let me just say I was really glad I brought over my own cookware to prepare my part of the dinner, and really really glad there was paper towel that I could lay on the counter so I could set my stuff down on a relatively safe surface.
I'm sure you remember the phrase 'messy bed, messy head' but this went way beyond mussed blankets and clothes on the floor (had mine touched that floor I'd have gone home naked). I know better than to try and change someone or to nag about some one's appalling living condition, but this worries me.
Believe me, you'll never see my crib in Sunset magazine, I'm got no Good Housekeeping Seals of Approval on my home front but I am concerned for my friend's well being. What should I do?
signed,
Pristina Crawford
Dear Ms. Crawford,
Assuming your host was not throwing a "Grey Gardens" theme party or that you are simply over reacting to some poorly executed shabby chic decor, this dissaray may be the sign of one of two serious mental illnesses. You did not mention your friend's age, and although both of the illnesses I will direct you to for further study generally afflict older folk, like any other disease, there are always early onset cases. I commend you for staying for dinner despite your disgust, that perhaps was above and beyond the line of duty. I also am quite familiar with the "messy bed, messy head" theory, it is widely used in contemporary psycho-social research. You ask what should you do, and unless your host apologized or acknowledged the squalor, the answer is do nothing. This is a case for professionals. Your friend may not realize there is anything at all amiss, so any repudiation on your part would be futile and perhaps ruin the friendship. My suggestion is that next time this person invites you over, you have them over to your home (and note the reaction to your clean surroundings) or meet at a restaurant.
Best Wishes.
Mess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collyer_brothers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_syndrome
I don't want to go into details because it gives me the chills but let me just say I was really glad I brought over my own cookware to prepare my part of the dinner, and really really glad there was paper towel that I could lay on the counter so I could set my stuff down on a relatively safe surface.
I'm sure you remember the phrase 'messy bed, messy head' but this went way beyond mussed blankets and clothes on the floor (had mine touched that floor I'd have gone home naked). I know better than to try and change someone or to nag about some one's appalling living condition, but this worries me.
Believe me, you'll never see my crib in Sunset magazine, I'm got no Good Housekeeping Seals of Approval on my home front but I am concerned for my friend's well being. What should I do?
signed,
Pristina Crawford
Dear Ms. Crawford,
Assuming your host was not throwing a "Grey Gardens" theme party or that you are simply over reacting to some poorly executed shabby chic decor, this dissaray may be the sign of one of two serious mental illnesses. You did not mention your friend's age, and although both of the illnesses I will direct you to for further study generally afflict older folk, like any other disease, there are always early onset cases. I commend you for staying for dinner despite your disgust, that perhaps was above and beyond the line of duty. I also am quite familiar with the "messy bed, messy head" theory, it is widely used in contemporary psycho-social research. You ask what should you do, and unless your host apologized or acknowledged the squalor, the answer is do nothing. This is a case for professionals. Your friend may not realize there is anything at all amiss, so any repudiation on your part would be futile and perhaps ruin the friendship. My suggestion is that next time this person invites you over, you have them over to your home (and note the reaction to your clean surroundings) or meet at a restaurant.
Best Wishes.
Mess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collyer_brothers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_syndrome
No comments:
Post a Comment