A Thank You Card Favor for my Persuasive Daughter

I was on my way to CVS the other day to pick up a few things when I got a phone call about, believe it or not, a thank you card or more specifically company thank you cards. Now normally when I’m driving I don’t even answer my cell phone, good driver and law-abiding citizen that I am. But the caller ID told me that it was my lovely daughter on the other end. I knew that if I didn’t answer she would keep on calling until I did. If anything, she’s persistent. So I reluctantly answered my phone.

She wanted to know if I could do her “a little favor.” After quietly muffling a groan, I told her that I only had about 20 minutes to spare since I had to meet my sister for lunch. “No problem” she says. “This will only take a few minutes.” How many times have I heard that one before? Nothing ever takes a few minutes. When you live in Northern Jersey it could take you 45 minutes to go 2 miles on Route 80 when one of those tractor trailers overturns like they do a gazillion times a month. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the daughter…like the time she asked me for a ride to pick up her car at the body shop. “It will only take a few minutes.” One hour and 17 minutes later we pulled into the body shop. But I digress.

Back to the phone call: “OK” I said, trying not to sound too annoyed. “What do you want?” She says. “Remember my client, the guy with the bad toupee and the breath to match?” “How could I forget him?” I say. “Well,” she says, “He just sent an awesome gift basket to my boss to thank us for all the help we’ve been to him. I want to send him a really nice thank you card and it would be great to have a supply of greeting cards on hand for all our clients. So I was thinking, could you pick me up a few thank you cards at CVS or better yet, could you order a box of company thank you cards from your company for my boss? Your greeting cards are really terrific and I know that my boss will be impressed when he sees them.” (Boy, can she lay it on heavy when she wants something!) “Sure!” I said “That’s a great idea, very thoughtful, not to mention the brownie points for you. Is that all?” I asked, finding it hard to believe I got off that easy. “Well,” she says, “Now that you mention it, could you pick up my dry cleaning? It will only take you a few minutes.” Arghh!!!