http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4583594.stm

The art of writing a thank you letter

I should illustrate this with a pic of my children
writing theirs – but they haven’t done them yet…

The Magazine, in association with the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP), challenged readers to write a thank you letter with two meanings. The same words – or words that sound the same – had to be used in each, but the punctuation was to be changed.

Here is an example I liked:

    Dear Auntie Maude,

    I was amazed to receive yet again the perfumed soap you’ve compelled me to appreciate for three straight Christmases! That my family had suffered due to my body odour, I felt such delight. I took the soap to the bathroom. I normally enter only once each July, not that I wish to. Wash? Never! Could a mere gift change that? No! Your stubbornness fuelled my resolve. To drive my body to the soapy unknown, my family have sued me for cruelty, and threatened random hose attacks. I cannot allow that water and skin should meet.

    With dignity intact!
    Rob

    Dear Auntie Maude,

    I was amazed to receive yet again the perfumed soap. You’ve compelled me to appreciate, for three straight Christmases, that my family had suffered due to my body odour. I felt such delight, I took the soap to the bathroom I normally enter only once each July! Not that I wish to wash. Never could a mere gift change that. No, your stubbornness fuelled my resolve to drive my body to the soapy unknown. My family have sued me for cruelty, and threatened random hose attacks. I will not allow that. Water and skin should meet with dignity intact.

    Rob