Dear Richard Madeley: ‘My assistant stinks – but I don't have the heart to tell him’
telegraph.co.uk– Prudence, ShropshireI think you should allow your Christian name to be your guide on this one. Wisdom, judgment and common sense are the watchwords here.
I firmly believe that you should say nothing. Not even a hint that this man’s personal hygiene is – in your view – wanting.If your friend was a nurse, or carer, or doctor, or performing any role that brought him into close physical contact with others, then it might be appropriate to ‘have a word’.
Even then you’d have to tread incredibly carefully.But he makes presentations, presumably at a safe distance from those he is addressing, who therefore can’t see (or smell) what you can.
Sure, they’ll register his scruffiness, but you’re the only person close enough to be aware it goes deeper than that. So the truth is, you’re asking him to clean up his act for your sake, aren’t you?Nothing especially wrong in that (in fact, I sympathise with you, Prudence), but if he’s reached this stage in life looking and smelling the way he does, I doubt if a few delicate hints from you – or even heavy ones – will change things much.
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