My mother has another daughter and her name is Alice. Sure, Alice has her own mother -- a good friend of Mom's -- but since she's such a delight to be around, Mom refers to her as her goddaughter in Chinese. Alice is really sweet, really bright (pursuing her Masters in Architecture in Paris) and is an all-round good girl (she speaks Mandarin to her elders). I hear that she's also incredibly feminine, but I wouldn't know. Alice and I have never met. Dad says I'm still his favourite.

I'd mentioned to Mom the other day that a nice young man who worked in public affairs at the ROM had given me his card, if I ever felt like getting coffee with him someday. I never took him up on the offer, but I did send him a thank you email which I'd typed out with the utmost sincerity. I've only seen him once since then, as he rode past me in the market, avoiding eye contact.

"Hi honey, sorry for bothering you at work... but I was wondering if you could help Alice out."

"You mean the kinder, gentler, more obedient daughter?"

"As you know, she's working on a paper about the new addition to the museum. Do you think you could call that guy from the market and see if she could speak to him about her project? She's left messages with others at the ROM and no one's gotten back to her."

"I hardly know him, Mom."

"But you have his card. You could give him a call on Alice's behalf."

"He tried to ask me out. And now I'm calling him for a favour for someone I don't even know. Gee, that won't be awkward."

"Then ask him out. This would mean a lot to Alice."

Pimped out by my mother to save a sister I've never met. I sent him an email about Alice and included an invitation for a smoothie. No response yet.