Guests - do you help to put things away?
By shelagh77
@shelagh77 (3643)
November 18, 2007 7:21pm CST
We have been searching for some plates for several days. Large, hard to miss dinner plates. Tonight there was an almighty crash and the birds came whizzing back into the lounge and when we investigated we found one of the missing plates, and on looking on top of the unit, there were the other two, complete with gungy gravy and cutlery. eeeeeeeeew!
I am only four feet eleven inches and the top of the unit is about six feet up. We had had a helpful guest visit and they must have decided to take the plates into the kitchen. Since I had not only cooked for ourselves but for a neighbour there was not a lot of room on the surfaces so Mr Helpful had put the plates on top of the unit. And neglected to tell anyone!
All is well that ends well and nobody hurt, but I think it was a silly thing for my dear visitor to do. My regular friends are laughing, I know you are, I can almost hear you . . .
3 people like this
14 responses
@thefriendlyghost (68)
• Canada
19 Nov 07
When I eat at my friend's or my boyfriend's house I always bring my dishes to the counter when I'm done. When they eat at my place, they just leave their plates or garbage wherever for me to pick up. My roommate doesn't clean at all either. And then they wonder why my apartment is always messy. Hmm, could it be because I'm cleaning up 3 people's messes besides my own?
2 people like this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
28 Nov 07
It is very hard work keeping tidy for everyone else in the appartment, isn't it? My problem was that my "helpful" guest put the plates somewhere nobody would think of looking and I was really lucky that when the birds knocked the plate down it missed my head!
1 person likes this
@thefriendlyghost (68)
• Canada
1 Dec 07
Lol, too funny. When my friends leave dishes on tables or shelves, they inevitably get knocked down and broken by my mischievous cats. My roommate has lost many dishes this way, but fortunately I haven't lost one. My dishes are all plastic!
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
19 Nov 07
That is pretty funny. I do try to be a helpful guest but I really am awkward about putting away dishes and such in someone else's home that i'm not familiar with. I always ask where they want things put. If unsure and if no one is handy to ask, I will set the dish on an open counter top where it is sure to be seen. your story did make me giggle. I'm sure your friend was truly trying to be helpful.
2 people like this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
28 Nov 07
Yes, most people found this funny and it was funny because nobody got hurt. Of course he didn't mean any harm, he thought that when I could not find the plates I would think that the only available space would have been on top of the units - typical male logic!
I don't think he will be "helpful" in the future - in fact I think I shall be wrestling his plate away from him the second he has finished his meal lol.
1 person likes this
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
19 Nov 07
It happened to me once, especially the time where we hosted a special gathering here in our house. Some visitors are only visitors, we don't consider them as FRIENDS!;) There are ocassions where they get unruly and are carried away just because of the fun conversation, as they thought that they are already close which is really not!LoL
Some of them would just leave the plates and other utensils unattended or just dump them on the sink, then later on would hear a crashing just because of their negligence.
Oh well, that's the downside of having people around your house!LoL
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
28 Nov 07
Wow, we really do connect in our view of visitors who are not friends lol!
It certainly can be the down side of visitors. The other thing this particular guest does is to reprogramme the computers and make them crash! And my partner STILL lets him do it, grooooaaan!!
1 person likes this
@mykmari_08 (2464)
• Philippines
19 Nov 07
Sometimes, yes; and sometimes I don't. It really depends whose house is it. If I'm visiting a friend or relative whom I'm very close, I do help in putting away the plate. But if I'm not the direct friend or relative of the owner of the house, I don't insist in cleaning the plates, specially if the host of the gathering told me or us not to. It's his or her house anyway and he or she is the owner. Often, one will know if the host wants you or does not want you to clean your plate; one should be sensitive to this matter.
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
28 Nov 07
You are a most considerate guest :-)
What do you think of my guest who put the plates up so high they nearly fell onto my head?
1 person likes this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
19 Nov 07
He meant well, I'm sure, and just got distracted and forgot about them. I do that kind of thing all the time. He probably remembered at some point after he left and was embarassed for a minute, then thought, "Oh, they'll find the dishes." Well you did, but after enough time for them to have grown you a surprise, I'm sure.
I do try to help when I am a guest, but I usually volunteer to wash, and let someone else decide where to put everything. I hate it when a guest puts dishes away in my kitchen. I never know where I will find things.
2 people like this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
28 Nov 07
He certainly did mean well, I am sure of that.
I don't like people finding new "homes" for kitchen items either as it can take hours just to get everything back where it should be so that I can cook the next meal.
I would rather they just sit and watch TV and it is usually healthier for me lol.
1 person likes this
@plainhousewife (332)
• Philippines
2 Mar 08
I usually help put things away as a guest. Simple things like putting away the dish and utensils that I used means a lot especially to those who don't have a maid to help them clean up. Of course, I put them away in the right places like the kitchen sink and not anywhere else... hehe.
Though most of the time I am told by the host to just leave them at the table. I'm just not quite sure at times if they actually mean it. :D
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
19 Nov 07
no, i never done that... when i am invited to somebody's house for a meal, i just bring the dirty dishes to the sink and wash them... i never want to touch, let alone move somebody else's stuffs since i don't like other people to do that to my house as well... it is very annoying for me when i can't find what i want because somebody move it away...
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
19 Nov 07
Sometimes I do, but sometimes, if the family tells me that they do not need help, then I stand back because I do not want to be a bother.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
19 Nov 07
lololol oh yes I can just see it the birdies found them and knocked one off nad scared the life out of them.
and was a wonder your other half didnt spot them up there.
What ya mean visitors I have 2 here that live here that dont know where to put up the dishes clean or dirty. I find them every where. and not in proper place
1 person likes this
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
19 Nov 07
LOL he must have thought you'd find it sooner or later. ^__^;;
when I'm at another house during an occasion, I would also help out and put my plates in the dishwasher or on the table or wherever I can see other used plates. ^__^;; but not anywhere high, since I'm not that tall also, I would put it somewhere that it would easily be seen. having said that your guest was weird on putting that plate where it is not conspicuous. he must be thinking that all people are tall like him ^.^;;
@citizensirhc (17)
• United States
19 Nov 07
I always at least throw my trash away, rinse the plates and silverware, then load them in the dishwasher when there's room. If there's a pile in the sink I usually rinse and load that too. I used to work in a restaurant as a dishwasher, so that might have something to do with it. I just feel like if someone was kind/nice/cool enough to host a dinner/party/whatever, the least I could do is to clean up after myself a little.
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•
20 Nov 07
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