# As a man, would you write a love letter to your mother's best friend for 50k? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484 "2012-03-11T20:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/21 "2012-03-12T17:10:27Z")
Undying love does not equate to undying sexual attraction, or even momentary sexual attraction for that matter. I’m sure I could write a letter that would make that distinction clear. So yeah, I would write it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/22 "2012-03-12T17:14:39Z")
Not unless, for some reason, I was sincere in the sentiments I was writing. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/23 "2012-03-12T17:26:23Z")
I’d do it. My mother’s in her late 80s, as are her close friends (I’d be hard pressed to say who her best friend is), so everyone would assume it was a joke. At least, I sure as hell would hope so. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/24 "2012-03-12T18:38:56Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > You hope. > > There’s always the chance he’d stare deeply into your eyes and say, “I never dreamed you felt this way too,” and then lean in for the kiss. So kiss him. And then say “I’m sorry, I just don’t feel this is right. I love you, but I love my family/my husband/my dog and I could never betray them. Plus I don’t want to ruin your standing in society\*.” It wouldn’t be the only time in my life I’ve kissed someone without being fully into it. But I admit, I was thinking of my father’s best friend in a specific way, and he’s one of the greatest men in the world, in my eyes. I’m pretty sure even if he wanted to he’d never do anything inappropriate. \*Yeah, well, this would work wonders in _my_ family/culture - how we look in society is far more important than anything else. It might not work so well elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![gerund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@gerund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gerund)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/25 "2012-03-12T21:17:53Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > So kiss him. And then say “I’m sorry, I just don’t feel this is right. I love you, but I love my family/my husband/my dog and I could never betray them. Plus I don’t want to ruin your standing in society\*.” It wouldn’t be the only time in my life I’ve kissed someone without being fully into it. Against the rules…you’d have to go with it, as far as the recipient takes it 🙂 HAHAHA! There have been some great responses to this question. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/26 "2012-03-14T02:12:58Z")
> [@gerund](#): > > As a man, would you write a love letter to your mother’s best friend, in which you profess your undying love, for 50k? Assume that you would have to suffer any and all consequences, and stand forever by the letter. depends on whether the feelings are true. If so, yes and the 50K is gravy. If not, then no. Seems simple to me. or are you creating a convoluted means to determine if a person can be paid to lie? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/27 "2012-03-14T13:47:10Z")
> [@gerund](#): > > Against the rules…you’d have to go with it, as far as the recipient takes it 🙂 HAHAHA! > > There have been some great responses to this question. It doesn’t say that in the rules. It only says "As a man, would you write a love letter to your mother’s best friend, in which you profess your undying love, for 50k? Assume that you would have to suffer any and all consequences, and stand forever by the letter. " Nothing about actually sleeping with them in there, just abiding by the consequences, and I’m not sleeping with anyone I don’t want to. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/28 "2012-03-14T14:38:35Z")
> [@rbroome](#): > > depends on whether the feelings are true. If so, yes and the 50K is gravy. If not, then no. Seems simple to me. Concur. > [@](#): > > or are you creating a convoluted means to determine if a person can be paid to lie? Looks to be “what’s your price for meddling horribly with affairs of the heart”. I’d like to think I don’t have one. Being paid to lie is fine (offer me 50k to pay someone a glowing compliment about a really ugly hat and I’ll do it), paid to lie _in such a way as to destroy someone’s feelings_. Nah. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/29 "2012-03-15T05:16:23Z")
Sure. My mom’s best friend is cool; she’d find it hilarious and flattering. I’d find it lucrative. If you’ve got $50K, I’ve got a pen. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484/30 "2012-03-15T11:44:40Z")
Sure. I’m always telling that her I love her and want her, even if her hearing is going and she doesn’t see that well anymore. It’s pretty funny, my wife leans toward the jealous side, but I guess she doesn’t seem threatened by a female in her golden years. I’ve known my mom’s best friend for about 16 years now, and we’re all one big family. Group hugs, sloppy kisses. She already suspects I’ve got a thing for her, and being all family, my wife is not the wiser. I like our special time together, even not knowing how many more years she has left. So for $50k would I get her hopes up? Sure, I’d write the bitch, but you would be out a lot of money because she doesn’t read and the only thing [she’d understand is her name](http://aletheuo.ath.cx/lj/ginger.jpg). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-man-would-you-write-a-love-letter-to-your-mothers-best-friend-for-50k/615484.md?page=1)