BETTY'SNOVELMARKETINGANDCUSTOMERRELATIONS

MyfriendJoannahappenedupona"humorous"fillerpublishedinLedburyFocus,a"free"
advertisingmagpushedthroughdoorsinHerefordshire.Itisthe tale of a nagging wife who is
killed by the farmers mule and whose male friends, at the wifes funeral, express the desire to
purchase the mule. Joanna emailed the editor Betty-Ann Ambury to complain and make the
following points:
Given that two women are killed by their husbands or partners every week in the UK, and that in the
last complete year of operation (2013-14), West Mercia Womens Aid received calls from 2,775 women
on its domestic violence helpline, sheltered 137 women and 203 children in its refuges, provided
support in the community to 1,749 women and 2,561 children, and supported a further 697 women and
1,016 children assessed as being at high risk, do you think that the moral of this story is a good
message to send out to the community?
Bettyreplied:
Hi
The statistics you give which I am sure are accurate are all very sad.
However, I find it insulting that you suggest that I in anyway condone violence of any sort, or that there
is a moral to this harmless piece of light-hearted nonsense I also find it very sad that you appear to
be amongst the small minority of people in this country who have become infected with the insanity
that is political correctness and have no sense of humour.
That being the case, I suggest you ask the person who delivers the magazine to you to desist, as you
will undoubtedly be offended again in the future by the other humorous titbits I have in store for the
magazine.
Should you wish to communicate with Betty, she can be contacted by email at:
betty@grapevinepublications.co.uk
This is her "harmless piece of light-hearted nonsense" in full:
TheFarmer&theMule
Anoldhillbillyfarmerhadawifewho
naggedhimunmercifully.Frommorning'til
nightshewasalwayscomplainingabout
something.Theonlytimehegotanyrelief
waswhenhewasoutplowingwithhisold
mule...heplowedalot.
Oneday,whenhewasoutplowing,hiswife
broughthimlunchinthefield.Hedrove
theoldmuleintotheshade,satdownona
stump,andbegantoeathislunch.
lmmediately,hiswifebegannagginghim
again.Complain,nag,complain,nagitjust
wentonandon.Allofasudden,theold

mulelashedoutwithbothhindfeet,caught
hersmackinthebackofthehead.Killedher
deadonthespot.
Atthefuneralseveraldayslater,the
ministernoticedsomethingratherodd.
Whenawomanmournerwouldapproach
theoldfarmer,hewouldlistenforaminute,
thennodhisheadinagreement;butwhen
amanmournerapproachedhim,hewould
listenforaminute,thenshakehisheadin
disagreement.
Thiswassoconsistent,theministerdecided
toasktheoldfarmeraboutit.Soafter
thefuneral,theministerspoketotheold
farmer,andaskedhimwhyhenoddedhis
headandagreedwiththewomen,but
alwaysshookhisheadanddisagreedwith
allthemen.
Theoldfarmersaid,'Well,thewomenwould
comeupandsaysomethingabouthownice
mywifelooked,orhowprettyherdresswas,
soI'dnodmyheadinagreement.
'Andwhataboutthemen?'theminister
asked.
Thefarmerreplied,'Theywantedtoknowif
themulewasforsale.