I forgot to go to my friend’s birthday party, having accepted the invitation verbally. How should I make things up?

A. M. M., Edinburgh

Merciful Mnemosyne, Mother of the Muses, and Titan for the forgetful! These things happen. I should buy a handsome and clever birthday present, costly as thy purse can buy, and take it round personally. We all forget things. But repair the omission as quickly and penitently as possible. PH

Elizabeth Ambler, Exeter: “Flex your plastic to within an inch of its life. Enjoy yourselves. A clear conscience will be the by-product of your imaginative generosity.”

Roger Lovegrove, Wood Green: “You should even things out by ‘forgetting’ to invite him/her to yours.”

David Agress, Newport Beach, California: “Find a 2009 calendar, mark the date of your friend’s birthday, then send it with abject apologies for missing the party. Explain that by way of making amends, you would like to invite them to dinner at their favourite restaurant whenever it suits them.”

Readers are invited to send their responses to this week’s question by October 25. A selection will be printed in a fortnight.

What is the correct way to deal with cold callers offering me double-glazing, a new kitchen or a spectacular prize?

Carol Goodman, Marylebone

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