Sarah Whitaker had promised her niece a baby stroller as a gift, and when the girl refused to accept it, the family turned against her.
Children grow up in the blink of an eye, and I didnt notice that my own son was already toddling fast enough to chase after his father. We always tried to buy the best for our firstborn, even if it meant putting aside our own wishes.
We splurged on an expensive, compact pushchair that fit neatly in the boot of our family car. It served us faithfully and was kept in pristine condition because we intended to sell it later.
Soon enough, when my son had outgrown the stroller, we listed it on a popular online marketplace. My husband suggested a 30percent discount off the original price, but I sensed the economy was tight and thought a deeper cut would speed up the sale. I set the price at half the original value, hoping it would sell quickly and do a good deed at the same time.
A few hours after posting the ad, a charming young woman named Lucy Bennett rang my phone and asked to meet and see the stroller in person. I agreed, and half an hour later the doorbell rang.
When I opened the door, I froze with disbelief: standing on the doorstep was my niece Emily Clarke, with whom we had not spoken for two years after a quarrel over boys. I was delighted to see her; I had been looking for an excuse to repair our relationship.
Over a cup of tea she told me that she and her boyfriend had a baby boy and that money was scarce.
After a frank conversation we examined the stroller together. Emily liked it, so I offered to sell it to her for even less than the advertised price.
The next day I busied myself with preparations for her visit, cooking a hearty dinner. We sat down as a family, reminisced about old times and savoured the reunion.
When the moment came to finalise the deal, Emily, sensing my willingness to compromise, hinted that it would be lovely if I could give her a stroller for her sons birthday. I was not prepared to make such an expensive present and told her so outright.
She took offense, called me stingy and stormed out, shouting. She then told her family that she felt sorry for the baby, and they sided with her, which ultimately led to a break in contact with her relatives as well.
That episode taught me a hard truth: you cannot please everyone, and mixing family with business is a recipe for disappointment. From now on Ill keep my dealings strictly professional, remembering that good intentions do not always bring good outcomes.
