Comedian's narration of a letter from a lawyer about being stood up by a guest will make your day
In the age of social media, online rants across platforms have become outlets for people to share terrible experiences on dates or bizarre exchanges at work. Many of these make for tales that go viral as people can also relate to them in a light-hearted manner. One such experience was shared by comedian Rob Delaney as he narrated Roman lawyer Pliny the Younger's carefully curated letter, which expressed the hurt he felt at being stood up by his acquaintance. The acquaintance apparently decided to join someone else for dinner, when he had promised to give company to Pliny. The letter is a perfect mixture of despair and pride. It clearly reflects the pain Pliny is feeling, but he never leaves his high horse and promises revenge for the insult.
The letter starts with the lawyer shaming his guest for avoiding him and his invite. He took the threat one step further by saying, "I'll take you to court and you will pay to the last penny for my losses." The man began listing the items that he had arranged for the dinner. It contained dishes like lettuce, snails, olives, beetroot, gourds, and eggs. Apart from food, comedians would have also been present for the guest's entertainment. They would have enjoyed the company of readers and lyre players. Pliny mocks the guest for choosing "to dine at some nobody's house" and foregoing all these arrangements. He criticizes the guest's taste for enjoying "performing girls" in place of a night filled with cultivated entertainment.
Pliny followed it up by begrudging the man for his "boorishness," since not only did he ruin his evening but also Pliny's by destroying the mood. He adds how they could have indulged in "joking and laughter" rather than be in a foul mood. The arrangements were such that the party of two would surely have beyond the dinner. He concludes by stating that the guest might visit more grand and elite households, but none would match in sophistication like his. He tried to convey that ultimately it was the acquaintance's loss that he missed out on such an opportunity. He bid farewell with hurt feelings and the promise of a revenge. Delaney's voice modulation added more charm to the entertaining letter.
The comment section was flooded by reactions from amused users. One of the @Terri_MacKay wrote, "He was offering comedians, readers, AND lyre players, and he was still stood up. I hope that those dancing girls from Cadiz were worth it." @kristenrosales2919 added, "I would love to dine with Pliny the Younger, especially when he has a list of entertainers and excellent food to offer. This is an opportunity that I could not miss." @Tysto shared their view on the tone of the letter, "Before passive aggressiveness was invented, Romans were just straight-up aggressive."