My grandmother was one of a kind. She was sarcastic and blunt, but also funny and kind. She was sharp-tongued and big-hearted, insightful and perceptive. She was a gem, and I miss her a lot.
Among the many pearls of wisdom my grandma passed on to me were:
- Always wear nice underwear when you go out (in case you’re in an accident).
- Always keep extra cash in your pockets and in your bra (in case you lose your purse).
- When you want something, ask (politely) because if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
While I don’t usually stuff my bra with 20s before heading out for my weekly grocery run, I do always wear clean underwear and I have gotten better at asking for things I want.
Case in point:
I was supposed to see The Outsiders on Broadway with my sister later this week, but she had to cancel. I was disappointed but I understood. The only problem was, the tickets were not refundable—and not cheap.
I could have asked a friend to go (if I had one), but I really didn’t want to see this particular show with anyone else. It’s based on the book and movie D and I bonded over when we were teenagers, and seeing this show together would have been a full-circle moment. Seeing it with someone else just didn’t feel right.
I tried to sell the tickets, but it’s hard to find someone who’s available at 1:00 on a Thursday afternoon. (Yes, Thursday matinees are a thing now; who knew?)
A friend suggested I call to ask for a refund or a credit for future use. My initial reaction was, I can’t. The tickets clearly say ‘nonrefundable’ in big, bold letters. But then I thought of my grandma … so I asked.
Guess what happened?
I got a full refund. Granted, I had to tell a little white lie and I’ll probably go to hell for it, but $400 isn’t chump change and I’m happy the tickets didn’t go to waste.
Jeanne Dewey would be proud.
—LJDT
Good for you!