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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is this an acceptable gift? What to do?

109 replies

PresentingPercy · 09/12/2020 11:34

A friend received this book (Don’t read this if you’re stupid) as an anonymous gift in her pigeon hole at work. No note with it. Plain white envelope. Her name but a slight error on the address. She doesn’t think it’s from a client. The info about the book is attached from the publisher. It’s the last sentence that’s the issue. Friend lives in South London. Any advice welcome.

Is this an acceptable gift? What to do?
OP posts:
Jenala · 09/12/2020 12:30

The brackets in OPs post is the title of the book Hmm

OP perhaps someone thought she would find it funny because she lives in South London.

justanotherneighinparadise · 09/12/2020 12:30

Too thick to comment usefully but it sounds like a book of funny stories.

Bluntness100 · 09/12/2020 12:31

It’s not the title of the book. The title of the book is “Don’t read this Book if your Stupid”.

LaBodDelMed · 09/12/2020 12:35

I’m assuming it’s the references to being killed, serial killing and South London, combined with the book being placed anonymously in the friend’s pigeonhole that might be causing some alarm.
@PresentingPercy - you mention client. What does your friend do?

Cheeseboardandmincepies · 09/12/2020 12:41

Confusedwhat a random post... no I wouldn’t be worried.

Atalune · 09/12/2020 12:44

Depends on what your friend does? Social worker psychiatrist? Then yeah maybe a a bit worrying.

SoupDragon · 09/12/2020 12:45

@Bluntness100

It’s not the title of the book. The title of the book is “Don’t read this Book if your Stupid”.
Actually it's "Don't Read This Book If You're Stupid"
JinglingHellsBells · 09/12/2020 12:46

@Bluntness100

It’s not the title of the book. The title of the book is “Don’t read this Book if your Stupid”.
Really? With the joke on 'your' rather than 'you're ' ?

Or is that your own typo @Bluntness100

Nottherealslimshady · 09/12/2020 12:48

Someones sent her a book with funny short stories about living in South London.

I'd find any anonymous gift weird though.

JinglingHellsBells · 09/12/2020 12:48

This thread is turning into a laugh a post.

People telling how the OP should write things, when.....

oh dear Grin

banivani · 09/12/2020 12:55

There is a delicious irony in people missing that Don't Read This if You're Stupid is the title of the book and sourly commenting that they're too stupid to have an opinion. Grin

I would frankly not like it either OP. It's probably just someone who saw the South London bit and thought it would be funny for your friend to read, but without posting a note with it it does seem like a warning from a serial killer!

VirtualLearning · 09/12/2020 12:56

I would find this weird, but seem alone here . The fact it was anonymous makes it odd and the fact it mentions serial killers etc would thrill me as makes it weird in a this-probably-doesn’t-mean-anything-but-then-why-send-it way

FuzzyPuffling · 09/12/2020 12:56

Yikes. I wish someone would give me an anonymous gift of a book. Much preferable to a candle/soap (imo) and a thoughtful thing to do.

Someone fancies her!

VirtualLearning · 09/12/2020 12:57

Typo, it would worry me not thrill me!!

Littleideasbigbook · 09/12/2020 12:58

I have no idea why anyone would want to send an anonymous gift (I like gratitude for my thoughfulness thanks Grin) so it seems shady to me but the book sounds amazing and I'd be reading it immediately if i was your friend, for clues.

WitchesSpelleas · 09/12/2020 12:58

I understand, OP. Your friend is worried that this might be a threat of some kind because the stories seem to have a bias towards serial killers.

I don't think she should be worried. Sending a book to threaten someone sounds like the plot of a not-very-realistic thriller. In real life, someone who wants to kill you is unlikely to give you a helpful heads-up to their intentions.

If there are further gifts/communication it may turn out to be a form of harassment, in which case I'd suggest she contacts the police.

Strangedayindeed · 09/12/2020 12:58

Why on earth is she worried?

DryRoastPeanut · 09/12/2020 13:10

It’s a book, books are always good gifts.

It’s weird that it was left anonymously but otherwise nothing wrong with it.

Is your ‘friend’ always so sensitive? London isn’t the be all and end all you know, there’s life elsewhere so to mock it isn’t actually illegal yet.

mushroom3 · 09/12/2020 13:10

The exact same wording is in the description of this book on Amazon!

Lampan · 09/12/2020 13:16

Unless there’s some back story here I can’t imagine why that would be worrying in the least

PointyMcguire · 09/12/2020 13:21

Ah I thought the title was “I like being killed” in which case I could loosely see why someone of a nervous disposition might be a little bit Hmm about receiving it anonymously.

Waspnest · 09/12/2020 13:23

I think I'd find any anonymous gift a bit worrying. Unless it was a secret Santa.

grapewine · 09/12/2020 13:25

Is this thread some weird PR for the book? Can't see why she's worried.

Palavah · 09/12/2020 13:25

does she recognise the name of the author, editor, or any of the names or places in the acknowledgements?

She could dust it for fingerprints and then read to see if she recognises anything.

CorianderQueen · 09/12/2020 13:43

Looks a shit book but they probably thought it'd be a funny joke. I live in S London and wouldn't be offended, it's a common joke between North and South.