Bribery and corruption

Every now and then there is a hue and cry about bribery and corruption and everyone out shouting the other. Smacks of self righteousness but I have no issues with bribery and corruption having practised it for years in one innovative form or the other. Of course it goes under the garb of different names, motivation,gifts,rewards etc but most often than not it is used to get something or to make someone do something I want them to do. Various children have been bribed with sweets or stories anything to keep them quiet and give me some peace. Considering none of said children were mine I had no qualms about it.

Now many years later I am faced with an elderly parent who is given to mood swings and depression and being of a certain age she unfortunately cannot be bullied hence I indulge in some good old fashioned trickery. Being die hard foodies the only way to motivate us is to offer the promise of food preferably deep fried and forbidden . Being food snobs doesn't help either so it had to be home made using the best ingredients etc I am sure you get the drift. Sunday is for us the worst day of the week. The parent in question (deprived as she is of her daily dose of the most regressive but hugely popular soaps)goes into depression mode. With nothing to keep her busy the mind wanders into places we would rather it didn't. On a particularly difficult Sunday when my own spirits dipped I decided in desperation that I would cook all the food that is normally her forte ..of course I was relaxed about it and went about it with great nonchalance but it worked. The parent and her strict quality standards were put to test and before I knew it she had taken over the kitchen and the cooking. Call it underhand call it what you will but desperate situations required desperate measures and if bribery and corruption works then so be it I personally have no issues with it