Dinks

   For the most part, I try not to call people "dinks". I prefer to inform them that I think they are acting like dinks. They, of course, never pick up on the acting part and are outraged that I just called them dinks.
   Fortunately, I don't run into a lot of dinks. The dinks I do run into I generally don't spend enough time around to build up the required resentment necessary for me to offer my opinion on their dinkiness.
   All of this, though, begs the question--when does one stop simply acting like a dink and actually become a dink? When does dinkiness stop being an occasional behaviour and turn into a verifiable personality trait? At what point (particularly if it is the same dink you've been dealing with) do you refer to the person as a dink and mean it because it's been so hard-earned?
   The problem with some dinks is that they are unavoidable. They are generally also persistent in their dinkiness. Their unavoidability means that you must deal with them on a regular basis, perhaps almost daily.

   I have some experience dealing with such people and have always attempted to explain to them how the things they do invoke the dink label (this, of course, while trying not to use the actual word). Generally, they don't get it. I have used every means at my disposal, apart from possibly a power point presentation, to demonstrate how some of their behaviours and thought processes lead to their social demise.
   Dinks, however, seem incapable of seeing this. Or they would change, because, really, who wants to be a dink?
   Sometimes I wonder if dinks remain that way simply because we put up with them, let them get away with it a little too often. Perhaps "zero tolerance" for dinks would work the best. At the first sign of dinkiness, the "victim" (generally me) would remove himself from the dink's presence, all the while proclaiming the reason for this. It would be necessary to be terribly consistent with this, of course, true dinks are notoriously slow learners.

   Dinks deserve our love, theirs is  likely a childhood condition and has been re-inforced over many years. Loving them will take practice and patience, of course, dinks are difficult to love, you would almost swear they were rejecting it, out of hand. Just try your best.

   It is possible that a dink in your life may actually think you're a dink. The more I think about it, this is more probable than possible. Unless you have totally gone along with their dinkiness over the years then you've likely had "words". Hopefully you remained calm and did not use the same words they likely used (being dinks). However this went down all those times, most assuredly the dink thinks you're one, as well. He may even assume that all your mutual acquaintances think you're a dink as well, simply because he does. No need to gather testimonials as to your own "un-dinkiness", just have faith in yourself.

   Finally, be sure to hold on to and cherish those people in your life who are not dinks. They are invaluable! Feel free to ask them if you yourself just acted like a dink (it can, and will, happen). If they reply in the affirmative, just trust them and try not to do whatever it was you did, ever again. Learn from your mistakes!
   There is no avoiding all the dinks in the world. They are out there and are struggling to make their way in the world, as we all are. Dinks who are totally beyond redemption are fairly rare and may be viewed as  curiosities or museum pieces, people you can amaze your friends with stories of. Hopefully, the remaining dinks in the world will surely someday meet with their own Scrooge-like reclamations.