The Thinker 2003- A Re-gifter Caught in the Act

The Thinker 2003- A Re-gifter Caught in the Act


Two years ago, a friend of mine, also an associate of my fashion designer cousin, came over to stay with me for Merchandise Market in Atlanta, an annual event. He had been doing that for the past few years. Every time that he would come stay, he would bring me a "host gift" for letting him stay. He has brought me a nice art print, Faberge-style eggs, designer shirts, and in 2003 he brought me a nice sized bronze of "The Thinker." I placed it in my living room, isolated on top of a nice chest, with a mirror behind it, and a spotlight on it as well. It catches everyone's eye when they come to my house.



This week is market, too, but for the last 2 years my friend decided that he would stay at a hotel and take the train to market. I digress. Instead, my cousin came to stay and brought another of their associate designers, Brian, to stay. Quite an agreeable fellow, he was. He complimented me on my home, told me how pretty it was, and then admired "The Thinker." He asked where I recieved it. I told him my friend, D---, gave it to me two years ago. He told me, "Oh really? I gave it to him 3 years ago for Christmas....it cost me a lot of money. I have been asking what he had done with it, as I had not seen it since....now I know!"



So my friend D---- was caught in the act of "re-gifting". I apologized to my house guest, told him that I had no idea it was a re-gift, and offered to give it back to him. He was crushed at D----, but no matter how much I persisted, he would not accept The Thinker back. From now on, I will tell admirers my friend, Brian gave it to me.



"Foul deeds will rise, though the whole earth or'whelm them, to men's eyes." Shakespeare