Several people have let me

down over the last year.
There were four people who offered and then promised me faithfully they would "read and get back to me" or get their boys to read the first three chapters of the novel I have out on submission. I would really have appreciated comments from the boys but I am aware their parents may have dobbed them in. The boys in question may not have been willing - or may not even have seen the chapters. Their parents though did not keep their word. It is disappointing.
That said, two other people also offered to read and both of them gave me really constructive feed back. I appreciate that - and I told them I appreciated it.
There was the person who promised me two balls of sock yarn in exchange for a knitting book. I sent the book and have not heard a word from her since. The sock yarn has not materialised. E-mails have gone unanswered. As I was passing that on to someone who was knitting socks for her surgeon son and one of his colleagues I felt bound to buy her two balls - and say nothing about it. I would not have done this except that the surgeons were volunteering, entirely at their own expense, to do some work in a remote part of the Himalayas. The sock knitter did acknowledge the yarn - with a hug and a kiss. I know though that, had she not been home, she would have 'phoned me. She is punctilious about such things. We both know that good quality sock yarn is difficult to get here.
I did some unpaid work for someone else. This is the usual state of affairs but, this time, the work was not usual. It also took four full days at a time when I was very busy with other things. I have not received an acknowledgment. It was only because someone else mentioned they were using the material I even knew it had arrived. Perhaps I should be pleased it is being used - even though my name apparently does not even appear on the hand outs. And, oh yes, I know the person I did the work for is busy too.
Another person asked me to do something "as a favour". I did it and heard nothing at all. I saw her last week and inquired what had happened. "Oh, I decided not to do it that way after all." Right. Thankyou for letting me know.
Most of the people I have done things for have got back to me. It is usually nothing more than a brief "thanks" to let me know that what I have done has been received. That is enough. I do not want more than that but I do like to know that people have received what I sent.
That way I know that I have not let them down. If they choose to let me down then they have to live with their conscience - if they have one.