DEAR Jasminda,
My favourite footy team has made it into the grand final for the first time in 25 years.
Months ago I RSVPd that I would attend a very important family birthday celebration on the same weekend.
Now I’m torn about what to do. This is the event of a lifetime.
Evan P.
DEAR Evan,
THIS is a very tricky situation.
If we were to assess this conundrum purely on the basis of etiquette, you accepted the birthday event and that is the event you should attend. After all, blood is thicker than water.
Despite this assessment, though, I was able to bear witness to some young men celebrating the finals win and I have never seen such pure and raw elation, such unbridled joy.
It was a sight to behold to witness these sporting enthusiasts completely in the moment, not a Smartphone in sight.
It was as though all their hopes and dreams had been answered.
There were tears. Actual tears.
If we compare those heights of emotion to some casual conversations around a cob loaf followed by a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday, I’m not sure the enthusiasm would be on par.
I assume it is a logistical impossibility to attend both, so you will have to make a careful assessment of the fallout from your non attendance at the family celebration.
Just don’t feign an illness. You don’t want your face flashing up on the big screen, followed by you ducking and weaving more skillfully than Sandon Smith scoring a try in the dying seconds of the game (or mimicking that work couple at the Coldplay concert).
Forever, you will be immortalised (and not in a good way), but if your team takes out the grand final win, it may just be worth it.
Carpe diem, Jasminda.
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