I've got myself in a pickle for telling a lie

[mumspiration1997]

Ahh I've really got myself into a pickle.

A family member asked me the week before Christmas would I drop a gift into someone.

It would have taken me an hour and I genuinely was putting it off until I had time I even thought ill pop it in after Xmas (the recipient was on holidays so did not see the immediate rush)

I was transferred the £40 to buy the gift.

However when my family member asked me did I sent it in I said yes I did (and as I said fully intended to before the recipient returned home) and now someone (another family member) has checked for it while checking on the house and its not obviously there . I already said I dropped it off otherwise I could say ah it's still in my car.

Now they have just text saying.

"Hi tried to contact you. Either the gift wasn't there or it has been stolen I'd like to investigate this further. I'm down £40"

I'm so embarrassed! I didn't steal the money. Should I just say "I don't know what's happened I'm transferring you the money back" or fabricate some story about "Oh the neighbours cat took it"

I am NOT saying I didn't leave it in at this stage, I feel belittled enough.

Help!!!! I'll never fib again...but I'll also never take on anyone else's chores again!!!!!

Is it not something that can be ordered online? I don’t see why you need to buy the gift and drop it off, surely the family member could have contributed in some way

Whatever you do do not say you don’t know what happened! The recipient will worry somebody has been nicking her stuff and rummaging through their knickers whilst they were sipping margaritas on the beach!

Why don’t you just buy it and hide it behind sofa previously suggested?

But before you balls up again check they don’t have a Ring doorbell!

Whatever you do, don’t make this ‘white lie’ massive and make yourself look deceitful.

Another vote for buy and hide asap!! . Message along the lines of ‘ I’m sure it won’t have been taken but I’ll go and look, don’t worry!’ I’m sure there’ll be a lot of honesty is the best policy responses though!

Just get the gift first thing and take it to the house.

Admit you messed up but do it in person with flowers and chocolates.

Less is more.

Text to say it’s there but I put it out of sight. Pop round with milk and bread and the gift. Don’t even need to mention where ‘out of sight’ was.

Dont lie anymore. It’ll be obvious.

To help your cause you could take a photo of recipient holding gift 🎁 and smiling and send to the person who asked you to drop the gift off. That person will be happy that their gift was not only received but appreciated. In fact, ask them to do a double thumbs up for the photo. 👍👍

I'd say 'yes I went to drop it off just after we messaged but I realised she wasn't back home until January so didn't want to leave it where it could get (stolen/damaged/forgotten about). You don't need to worry, I've got it here for safekeeping and I'm dropping it round now as she's home tomorrow'.

And if it makes you feel better it's pretty much true. You might even want to say 'I know I told you I'd done it but pre-Xmas was such a rush around and I wanted you to know I had it sorted so you wouldn't need to worry'

Your family member knows you have lied.I learnt many years ago that just being honest when you mess up is the best policy.They know you haven't bought it. Just tell them why (you forgot, left it too late, intended to but time slipped away, don't ask me again I'm crap at this stuff etc) and take it round with a sorry ASAP.You will feel better, they won't view you as a compulsive liar

I know it’s off topic, but what was the gift? I don’t know why I need to know 😂

I mean… you were given money to do something, took the money then lied about doing it, so effectively you did steal it. Go and get the gift and take it round immediately.

Or you could say when you said it was done you meant it was bought and you were waiting for them to return before you dropped it

Sorry OP but people like you really annoy me. Don't say yes if you can't be arsed to do it!

So they’ll still think someone has been in their home and stole it??

FFS OP act like a grown up and tell the truth!

It doesn’t even have to be the full truth.

Just say that you remembered that you’d dropped it off but collected it again/didn’t drop it off because it was such a long time before they got back.

I can’t believe you say you’re ’too soft’ to say no but then admit you took the £40, lied about buying the present, lied about dropping it off, confirmed the lie more than once and now want to pretend that someone has been into the home and stolen the gift!

Someone who is ‘too soft’ would absolutely not do any of those things.

I actually think she was rude to check up on you… even though it appears she had good reason 😂😂

Just buy the gift and drop it round today. Ignore the text. When the recipient calls/texts your relative to say thank you this should go away. If she says anything after that just simply say ‘I told you I’d drop it off, I did. Next year you can sort it yourself!’

Can you not just say the family member who popped round to check the house may not have seen where you put it? And then just pop it in? Is the house owner still away?

Nonsense.

This seems the most plausible.

I disagree with everyone here.
I think you should tell the family member this:
''Actually I never bought the gift because I felt like you really took the piss asking me to spend my time going out to the shops and choosing a gift for someone else and then drive 1 hour to deliver it to them and then drive 1 hour back home again. It was the lead up to Christmas and I was really busy and I had enough of my own stuff to do. Why did you assume I had enough time to do this for you, and why did you ask me to do it when I'm already busy? Why didn't you just send the £40 directly to them as a gift? Or buy them something online and have if delivered to them? And you're now checking up on me about it?! I was so shocked by your level of expectation at the time that I couldn't bring myself to say anything to you, but I'm telling you now. Here's your £40 back. I'll leave it for you to explain to them why they didn't get a gift."

Fix problem. ASAP Tell another white porky, or not.

You could say that, on second thoughts, you hadn't wanted it stolen from the porch.
Visit person ASAP make light of it and change topic.

Only if the OP has some sort of dementia. Given that she'd only have gone to the house to deliver the gift, seems rather unlikely that they'd have just imagined going to the house or not noticed that they went up to the door emptyhanded and then walked back to the car and drove off.

It was a case of wine? Say you drank it?

Just apologise for lying before, take the present round today if you can and don't agree to help in future if you can't do it

I'd probably say "I'm really sorry, I misled you when I said I'd sent it. I did buy it, I just never took it over as they've not been there to receive it. I'm planning to take it over on X day when they're home. I apologise for the misunderstanding and any alarm it caused you".

I would do this, and don't agree to deliver anything again if you haven't got the time or the inclination.
The gift giver could have ordered the item online or from the supplier and had it delivered directly to the recipient. Perhaps suggest they do this next time?