What The Eff IS Wrong With People?!?!?
R.S.V.P. stands for a French phrase, “répondez, s’il vous plaît,” which means “please reply.” The person sending the invitation would like you to tell him or her whether you accept or decline the invitation.
It is really not a hard concept to grasp, nor is it a hard thing to do. When my niece was in a preschool around the corner from our house, we invited the kids in her class to her third birthday party. We rented a private bowling room for birthday parties and got everything ready for her big day. She was so excited and couldn’t wait for all her little friends to join her. She had also invited a little girl, Katie, from her ballet class and another little girl from her church – both of those girl’s parents RSVPed on the spot with a definite, “Yes, we’ll be there.” I waited and waited for RSVP’s to flood in…. but they never did. The phone rang once with an RSVP saying they couldn’t come. The day of the party was arriving and no one else had RSVPed! I talked to my niece’s teacher and asked her to remind parents about the party, but that didn’t help either. Day of the party and only two girls had RSVPed! I figured that people would just show up without an RSVP – even though that would be the rude thing to do. The two girls showed that RSVPed and Katie brought her brother – they saved my niece’s party! Without them there would not have been a party at all because morons get invitations and never fucking RSVP!
The next year we had changed my niece to a different preschool – one within a church and her fourth birthday was filled with RSVP’s and the party was a blast! After a few successful parties my faith had been restored in people. Plus, every time my niece gets an invitation I am quick to RSVP that she’ll either be there or not… But, I have always made it there. I figure I need to be an example of what you are supposed to do – then in return when my niece invites their child to her party they won’t think twice about it and call us with a RSVP.
My niece turned eight this year and she wanted a big birthday party. Scott came up with the idea of a Princess Dress-Up theme and she loved it! So, we decided only to invite girls and have everyone come dressed as a princess – how fun would that be?! I sent out a bunch of invitations to all these little girls in my niece’s class. I also sent out one to Katie and another to a girl, Sara, my niece had met in her ballet class and then one to a girl from my niece’s church. I waited and waited for the flood of RSVP’s to come in. I even RSVPed to a party for one of the girls we invited. We went to her party and I finally asked the mother if her daughter was going to attend my niece’s party. Her reply was, “Oh…. Ummm… No?” The reason I even asked was because I had heard from talking to a father at the party that the little girl was going to be out of town the weekend of my niece’s party, but I really wanted a, “Oh, I am sorry but we can’t because….” I doubt she would have ever RSVPed had I never asked. The first phone call I received was from Katie’s mother who RSVPed with a, “Yes.” of course. She was coming, but didn’t want to dress-up and that was o.k., it didn’t matter – I figured one girl there that didn’t dress-up, whatever. Then Sara’s mother RSVPed and finally my mother was talking to the girl from church and her grandmother and they said they would attend, but I never got a real RSVP and couldn’t count on it. No one from my niece’s class RSVPed – NO ONE! We sent about eight invitations to school and not a one has a parent who could either read or make a damn phone call!
My niece kept telling me that her “friends” from school told her they would be there. I told her to tell them that their parents need to call me so I can count on them for sure – I really can’t take the word of a 7 or 8 year-old child. No one called and I almost called the party off all together. I told my niece that I was going to have to cancel the party and she didn’t want that to happen! She really wanted this party and she was sure her “friends” from school were telling the truth. So, I kept the party plans as they were. Saturday February 24th arrived and I put together a few snacks and ordered a cake for the party. I had thought of and planned out a few games with prizes – all around the princess theme. We got there a half hour early and set everything up. Then I crossed my fingers but I didn’t hold my breath that her “friends” were truthful and would just show up. The little girl from the church arrived early, and then Katie arrived and finally Sara arrived… and that was it. It is loud and clear who her true little friends really are. My niece did not let the other shit-heads who didn’t RSVP stop her from having a good time. The four girls played the games and won prizes and then we sang Happy Birthday and opened gifts. They had a great time playing together and it ended up being a great birthday for my niece. My niece and only one other girl dressed-up as a princess – that kinda threw that idea out the window – but all-in-all it didn’t matter because the girls really didn’t even notice.
RSVP – a social rule. I just don’t understand the mentality of people – the mentality of stupid idiots. This could have – and who knows, it still might – scar my niece’s psyche. Who could be that cruel to a little kid? You get an invitation and that can mean only one sure thing – they want you there!!!! Little kids want a big to-do about their birthday – it’s natural. But, what kills that spirit are people like the ones who never RSVPed! What is wrong with people?!?! What in their minds says it’s okay not to be polite? I will not put my niece through this again – next year we are going to invite Katie and Sara to a movie or something. The two girls who have never let their friend down. I commend those parents for doing a good job and thank them for being there. A little kindness goes a long way and so many people need to figure it out. It blows my mind away how many lazy stupid fucks we have walking around – how the hell is the world still spinning? I could go on and on about this topic – but I won’t… not worth it.
A happy ending – sure. It could have been better, but the most important thing is that my niece had a great time with a few great friends…
