RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32737, 14 October 1971, Page 18

RANDOM REMINDER

THE HAND OF FRIENDSHIP

It is refreshing to observe that in our workaday world and its distressingly changing pattern in manners, mores and morals there are many who retain one of life’s most cherished commodities —the milk of human kindness. It is well that it still flows freely. The Good Neighbour outlook has many practitioners fully aware that reciprocal acts of benevolence make life infinitely more pleasant and meaningful. But occasionally there can be misunderstandings fraught with the prospect of a severance of diplomatic relations. This was the experience of two married men whose bond of friendship dates back to the distant days when they commenced their careers as office juniors for a mercantile firm in the North Island. Each was the best man for the other at their weddings. Both have risen to executive roles in the services of their Company. Quite recently one of the men, whom we prefer to call Mr Good made the casual disclosure to his friend (Mr Wise) that he intended to take up wood-

work as a hobby. It was, he said, something which fascinated him but which he had never quite got around to doing. Wood turning, he added was the facet of the art of most appeal to him, and he intended to purchase a lathe for $95. Mr Wise, with an appreciation of the economics of it all, coupled with his inherent generous disposition, was quick to tell him that he considered such a large expenditure on sophisticated equipment for a mere novitiate was quite unnecessary. He had, he said, a home made lathe of his own which he had not used for years. His friend was more than welcome to the use of it for as long as he wished. In jig time, so to speak, he arrived the next evening at his colleague's home with all the necessary components which included an electric motor, a transformer and a complete set of wood turning tools. He installed the equipment, gave his friend a run down on the do’s and dont’s of the art and bade his friend a cheery good evening.

Mr Good got down to business immediately afterwards. He was delighted with the lathe, his own creative handiwork and, above all, the generous gesture of his friend. The following day as a mark of appreciation he instructed one of his staff to wrap up a bottle of whisky for Mr Wise and, as an afterthought, a bottle of gin for his Mrs Wise. He labelled one bottle “His" and the other “Hers” and in the parcel included a brief note of gratitude. Later that month when the staff sales statements were distributed Mr Wise was aggrieved to observe that he had been invoiced for the liquor given to him as a present.

On the other hand, Mr Good, scanning his, blushed to the roots of his hair. He feared the worst. There was an obvious awful error. In less time than it takes to say “Here's Luck” he arranged for a credit note to be issued in favour of Mr Wise. And also a debit note to himself. Even computers, it seems sometimes display a common human fraility —sheer cussedness.