Nails to the chalkboard

Ever found yourself in one of those situations? Someone tries to make you do something that you don't want to do. You know that they know that you don't want to. Yet they keep on coming, in the hope that you'll cave in under the relentless barrage.

Some days it'll be the guilt trip approach:
"It's been such a long time! You didn't come for the last one either..."
Yeah, and there was a good reason for that. And for not attending the one before that, and the one before that, and the one before that...

Other times, they try the responsibility-and-obligation tactic:
"You're a good friend/nephew/gardner/horse, I know you'll turn up."
Like flotsam on a river? No thanks. Think we'll visit the dentist instead, sounds far less painful.

Or by royal decree:
"Dinner this Sunday."
Really? Jolly good for you. I know we'll have ours, too. Somewhere else.

Or when all else fails, employ the call-the-spouse-maybe-we'll-have-better-luck strategem. Ergh. Why are they so convinced that this will work, when previous attempts have all failed miserably?

So I got the spouse-call today, asking me to convince J to go over for dinner this weekend. Of course, since J had already told me about the ongoing pleading and cajoling, I fended off the caller with a vague "we'll see" and a non-committal "I'll talk to her".

That should buy us another half day, at least. Enough time to prepare the next line of defense.

And maybe pick up a coffee.