YOUR PROBLEMS SOLVED
Q. I have a problem with my daily. She started a month ago, supposedly comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but each time she seems to do less work than the time before. The e person who recommended her says: Please don't sack her. She's such a nice person, she is having some problems at home'. However, last week I would hardly have known she had been at all were it not for the fact that she had taken the money. I am out at work all day so I never see her. This morning I will have to ring her up, but what can I say? 'How dare you not clean my flat properly?' I find the whole thing cringe-makingly embarrassing.
L. B. Aldridge Road Villas, W 11.
A. Just don't leave the money next week. When your daily rings up and leaves a mes- sage asking that she be paid, you can explain in astonishment that you did not leave the money because you didn't realise she had been.
Q. I am saddened by the behaviour of my rather objectionable son-in-law who insists on pulling idiotic faces whenever he is pho- tographed — often happy memories of family reunions are marred for my wife and
Dear Mary.. .
me by his unignorable leering features being included in the pictorial record. Despite our protestations and the fact that he is in his forties he seems to think it even funnier each time he does it. What can we do?
Name and address withheld.
A. Why not use a camera which does not emit a clicking sound s the shot is being taken? You can then trick your son-in-law by saying 'Hold it everyone!' about five or ten seconds before you actually take the picture. This will give your son-in-law time to compose his features into the idiotic leer, then relax them just before you take the real picture. Train the other members of your family to interpret 'That should be
good' as the code for 'Hold it everyone!' Even if tiresome, this method will ensure that though the picture of your son-in-law may be blurred, at least he will not be leer- ing.
Q. I often enjoy talking to taxi drivers — if I am in the mood. Equally there are times when I prefer to concentrate on my papers or my private thoughts. I find, however, that Sod's Law seems to arrange it that I am usually coupled with a particularly loquacious driver on journeys when I would most benefit from a period of reflection. It is, of course, worse when travelling in a mini cab without the glass partition. What is the best way to discourage a driver from chatting, without appearing to snub him.
I. L. London W8.
A. It is always best to enter the cab with a look of radiant friendship on your face. If the driver attempts to strike up a conversa- tion in which you do not wish to partici- pate, you can lean forward with a frustrated expression and say 'I'm so sorry. I've had to take my hearing aid out because it was giv- ing me a lot of interference.'
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