A few years ago, I received a gift from a friend: a box of chocolates. I was excited about it for the brief time I had it, but I never got to enjoy it, because the same week, you took it away claiming you needed a gift for a friend of your own. Because you promised to replace it, I agreed to let you take it. But you never kept that promise. Of course, I’m partly to blame; since I didn’t want you to think I was petty and annoying, I didn’t insist. At the end of that story, my life was exactly the same as it was in the beginning.

Over a year later, an honest mistake left me without my gift of chocolate again. However, this time I decided to try something different: instead of sitting back and trusting you to replace it like you said you would, I was going to risk sounding petty and insist you keep your promise. I reminded you several times about the gift I had lost, and I kept asking when you would be going to the store so I’d know when you could get me the chocolate you promised. And you know what happened? I got chocolate!

So you want to know what I learned from all this? I learned that when you want something from someone, you have to insist. You have to keep asking when they plan to keep their promises, regardless of whether they’ll think you sound petty. And I know you think I sound petty. But honestly, I’m OK with that, because between these two endings – you thinking I’m a big person or me having chocolate to enjoy at the end of a trying day – I’d rather have the chocolate.