Ask Amy: Woman wants to avoid parents’ skeevy friend
In another instance, I invited him to join a group for lunch and he asked me to change the date. When I did not change the date, he asked me to change the time.
This type of situation has come up several times with him.
I find this behavior to be presumptuous and rude. Am I being too thin skinned? How should I handle it?
– Thin Skinned
Dear Thin Skinned: When someone approaches you with an unreasonable request, it helps to keep in mind that anyone can ask anything, as long as they are prepared for an honest answer.
Your friend sounds higher-maintenance than most. Just as he can ask anything of you, so can you ask: “Do you realize that you have a habit of tinkering with my well-laid plans?”
Dear Amy: I would like to offer a response to the recent retiree (“Life Is Good”) who wondered how to answer when people ask him what he does all day.
Many years ago, I was given this wonderful reply, and would like to share it with him and anyone else who may find this helpful, (and funny):
“I do nothing, but I do it in the morning so my afternoons are free.”
It tends to leave the questioner either speechless or amused.
Either one works for me.
– M
Dear M: Readers have supplied many genius responses to this question. This one’s a winner.
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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
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