Friends of friends of friends of friends of friends came to visit us on holiday: I wish I hadnt said yes.
Last year, an old friend of mine, Sarah, rang me up and pleaded for a big favour: would I mind hosting her closest friends for a week at my place? Theyd decided to unwind by the seaside in our little village. It felt awkward to turn her down, so I reluctantly agreed. Still, I made things clear from the start:
Its peak season, so I cant really offer them a free room. But at the same time, Id feel odd charging your friends the full amount.
To that, my friend said, Honestly, theyll pay. Moneys not a problem, theyre just wary of being ripped offyou know, those landlords who take deposits and then wont let holidaymakers in, or chuck them out halfway through their stay.
Well, I fell right into the trap. If Id known how much this week would cost me, I would never have agreed.
Feeling uneasy, I gave them a hefty discounthalf price for the room.
The day finally arrived, but instead of the family I was expecting, a teenage girl turned up with a ten-year-old boyall friends, apparently. Fine, I thought, friends can have different ideas of a good holiday. Only, the room really wasnt comfortable for three people.
Our meeting was cordial enough. I tried to cook a nice dinner, showed them the sights around the village afterwards, and then wished them a pleasant evening before heading off to my part-time job.
The second day things went pear-shaped: the visitors son thought it funny to squirt a working television set with a water pistol. His parents were in the room but didnt stop him. The couple apologised profusely and promised theyd pay for the TV (which is still waiting to be fixed, by the way). I ended up loaning them another set from the next room. What else could they do in the evenings?
Next, the friendly teenager managed to ruin my kettleshed put it on the hob without adding water. So much for making family tea.
Then, in their efforts to rearrange the furniture (Its just a bit cramped!), they managed to break off the leg of a bedside table and crack the leg of the dining table. For them, it was all one big laughDont worry, youve got loads of this stuff! Well patch up the table with sticky tape, and pop something under the bedside tableitll be fine.
The highlight of the week, though, was a wild party that went on noisily until two in the morningshouting and raucous laughter, drinks thrown back with gusto. When I politely asked them to turn the blaring music down at eleven, I was told, Relax, weve paid for thisalthough, to be fair, they did eventually lower the volume after I reminded them again.
There was simply no use arguing with people who were tipsy, so I gritted my teeth and waited for morning. The next day, I sat down with the couple to explain honestly that their behaviour just wasnt acceptableafter all, they werent the only guests in the house, and I asked them to please be careful with the appliances.
They shrugged, disgruntled: Weve paid, havent we?
That really got my back up. Thank you for coming on holiday here as friends of a friend, I told them, otherwise, you wouldnt be here at all!
After that, they began to behave themselves a bit more, and nothing else was broken. But any friendship we had fizzled out right there.
In the end, we stopped speaking entirely. That didnt stop them, though, from helping themselves to the gifts and souvenirs Id prepared for them, plus a couple of large bath towels and a terracotta bedsheet disappeared from their room as well.
And these were supposed to be my friends dearest friends. Back at school, Sarah and I had been inseparableuntil she married and moved to Bristol. Shed described them as kind and well-mannered. If that were true, Id have welcomed them back every summer.
I suppose thats how it goes. Sarah stayed silent for ages, but months later, during a chat, she admitted her friends didnt fancy their holiday: They said you kept nagging them and ruined their fun, even though they paid loads!
But honestly, what they paid didnt cover half the damagea kettle, TV, table, bedside table, towels, and bedding, let alone the headache and the grumbling of other guests. And now my reputations taken a knock. Next year, I might lose out on other holidaymakers.
Still, if nothing else, Ive learned an important lesson: sometimes, the bravest and wisest thing you can do is simply say no.
