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Your Problems Solved

Dear Mary...

Mary Killen

Saturday, 15th April 2006

Q. Please help me urgently. I have made a terrible social faux pas. Two very good friends asked me to be godfather to their children. One child is Oscar, the other Tom. I accepted enthusiastically because, for all my other faults, I am a very good godfather. Last week I discovered the christenings of both are on the same date — in a month’s time — over 100 miles from each other. I had stupidly put one down in my work diary and the other in my social one. What can I do?
B.D., Wandsworth, London SW18

A. This can only be resolved by seniority. The older baby should have precedence. Meanwhile contact the clergyperson who will officiate at the junior baby’s baptism to see whether you can supply your vows in writing and be represented by a proxy or indeed whether an induction can take place at a later date during an ordinary church service. The parents of the junior baby will be disappointed, but you can redress the balance by making it clear that, in compensation for your absence, their own child will receive, as his christening present, a slightly superior handout to that bestowed upon his senior godbrother.

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