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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask for help with this cryptic/mysterious letter received today

213 replies

BettySundaes · 03/08/2019 18:07

Correctly addressed to our house. Inside just the brief note, and two feathers. I'm pretty sure it's not meant for anyone here, no return address, very curious about its meaning though.

to ask for help with this cryptic/mysterious letter received today
to ask for help with this cryptic/mysterious letter received today
OP posts:
SophyStantonLacy · 03/08/2019 21:55

bumply my great grandfather was given white feathers in WW1 - he was an aeronautical engineer not allowed to sign up. Went on to make some famous military creations for the war effort.

northernlites · 03/08/2019 21:56

I think @IsobelRae23 is right...

*If someone had spent more time at home and not looking away from home, then there would be less heartache.

Someone is saying someone is cheating, and is apologies to both of you for making trouble- making/causing waves.*

The sender is paraphrasing what they really want to tell the recipient. They don't want to say it outright but want to send a message nonetheless

Whosorrynow · 03/08/2019 22:03

You should burn it all and bury the ashes at a crossroads
Then offer up a prayer to the moon and throw salt over your left shoulder

TooManyPaws · 03/08/2019 22:05

My dad got given a white feather in WW2 during leave onshore. He was in the Merchant Navy and was both in the Battle of the Atlantic and the Arctic Convoys. He just shrugged it off as she was an elderly lady who seemed a bit confused. However, Mum's brother never had any problems despite being refused by the RAF; he might have been a qualified and experienced pilot but being an aircraft designer was much more important.

It's very weird indeed, that letter. What was on the envelope?

IsobelRae23 · 03/08/2019 22:12

If someone had spent more time at home and not looking away from home, then there would be less heartache

Someone is saying someone is cheating, and is apologies to both of you for making trouble- making/causing waves

This was my first thought. Now I’m thinking the Katrina part is as above the making/causing waves, but the second referring to the cleaner- Hurricane Katrina, and what a big clean up operation it was after.

So an affair is going on, instead of the person sticking to home, they have now caused heartache.

The writer is apologising for stirring things up/making waves, and for the clean up in the family that is now going to have to happen, now that this affair has been blown open wide.

That’s providing someone actually takes the note seriously.

Sagradafamiliar · 03/08/2019 22:13

The note is addressing a man, your DH?

The writer is old enough to be aware of the white feather brigade and the scrawl doesn't look like a young person's either. It's written in a way that is meant to make sense to the intended recipient. They've worded it purposefully so that anyone else reading it won't be hurt. I also think it's some busy body colleague or neighbour hinting at an affair.

Bluntness100 · 03/08/2019 22:14

Is it to someone called mick?

It reads to me they are saying someone is a coward, and the feathers are either both for the recipient, or one for the recipient and the other for either kmw or Koc.

I suspect if you were rhe intended recipient you might know exactly what the meaning of that note is.

IsobelRae23 · 03/08/2019 22:18

Hurricane Katrina also happened in August

ohcanada · 03/08/2019 22:21

I disagree about the age. The older men I know say 'hiya' in cards/messages and have similar handwriting! That along with the war references I would guess 70ish year old man.

Fraggling · 03/08/2019 22:22

I love this thread.

DreamMeOffMyFeet · 03/08/2019 22:26

Shamelessly place marking as I need to know if this ever gets solved! Baffling Confused if I received this it would drive me potty with all the questions!

Branster · 03/08/2019 22:36

ochanada you may be onto something there. Personally I haven’t see notes/cards from older men addressed with Hi Ya that’s why I didn’t consider this possibility.
It is certainly written in a very round about way as to not offend people who are not directly in the know. It must have taken a lot of time to compose all this cryptic message and find such unusual feathers. Must be a bored pensioner with a nice pen and lots of complements slips on his desk.
Or just a prank.
Will this be another Rachel story and we’ll never know the truth...

Sarcelle · 03/08/2019 22:41

Would a man in his 70s reference Katrina and the Waves?

Louise190 · 03/08/2019 22:44

"Hiya,
Not the white feathers used in WWI but thinking about it, if they spent more time pleasuring themselves then there might have been slightly less bloodshed?
Any, it's either both for you or one for you and one for K.M.W (Katrina makes waves) or K.O.C (Katrina on cleaning?) Xx"

I'm not 100% certain on the acronym meanings.

The reference to the bloodshed makes it read to be quite sinister to me. I believe the writer is accusing the intended recipient of being a coward and having an affair, presumably with someone called Katrina.

I wait with baited breath!

QueenEnid · 03/08/2019 22:45

Could the cleaning reference be to a feather duster?!

Clutching at straws here 😂

cinnabarmoth · 03/08/2019 22:46

According to Wikipedia, during World War I, women, particularly suffragettes or feminists, were encouraged to hand out white feathers two people who appeared to be avoiding enlisting in order to shame them. So I think that the feathers are intended for the recipient of the letter and Katrina (I think Katrina makes waves and Katrina on cleaning are just two ways of referencing the same person using a private joke) to give to a man or men in their life. I think the writer is referencing a conversation that they have had with the intended recipient about men, or indeed a particular man, in which the man was considered either a w*** or a coward (or both!) Hence the reason they are sending them the feathers to give to him.

The handwriting looks very like my father's. He is 66 so perhaps that's a clue to the age of the writer, however the use of 'Hiya' and the two kisses at the end make me suspect a female writer rather than male.

I think that the top feather maybe a tail feather from a chicken or cockerel, and the bottom feather possibly from a pigeon.

Louise190 · 03/08/2019 22:47

@Branster I am intrigued, what is the Rachel story?

Sparklingbrook · 03/08/2019 22:49

This is like a clue on 321. Someone will win Dusty Bin in a minute.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 03/08/2019 22:52

@LaMarschallin You made me laugh so much it hurt Grin

Back to the letter, those are some quite unusual feathers. Anyone know what bird/fowl they came from?

EAIOU · 03/08/2019 22:54

I'd agree with the affair letter theory.

Sounds like it's being said to make a choice as in it's either both for you or one for Katrina....

As in make a choice.

stucknoue · 03/08/2019 22:55

It would make sense to the intended recipient who I'm guessing is setting up a cleaning business perhaps???

MondeoFan · 03/08/2019 22:56

This is so weird. Was it hand delivered or come in the post?
Anything on the envelope?

SpankYouMuchly · 03/08/2019 22:58

I think the 'more time pleasuring themselves' is referring to them using up all the crazy, warmongering testosterone and just being more chilled so they were too relaxed to fight.

thesunwillout · 03/08/2019 23:00

😂 @Sparklingbrook

Utterutterutter · 03/08/2019 23:02

I’m confused by various posters’ belief that this must have been written by an older person due to the white feather/WWI reference. I would have thought that was pretty much general knowledge? I’m not all that old and I learnt about it at school.

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