Sometimes, in the zeal of trying to be helpful, people help others the way they think they should be helped instead of the way requested.

For example, let’s say a person is building a house. His friend comes over to help, and the home builder says “Use these nails to attach these home numbers to the post.” Instead of using the nails to attach the designated house numbers, the friend says to himself “I think he wants me to do the best job I can. So I will use these screws, and buy some better house numbers, and I will be right back.”

Then, the home builder - seeing the friend drive off - takes the ten seconds necessary to drive the total of eight nails into the four numbers and then wonders why that job drove off his friend. Next, the friend comes back to find that the job has already been done, and wonders why the home builder asked him to do a job, and then just did it himself.

Imagine the conversation between the two (if the friend musters the courage to say anything). Why did you… Why didn’t you… All I wanted was… But, this is much better… It is done, let’s forget it… I wanted to… And both friends lose a bit of friendship in that moment.

Maybe this scenario is uncommon among friends. How could this situation be remedied? Who made a mistake? The Builder? The Friend? Both equally? <br><br>

A thought experiment!