Q. Is there a friendly way to cut short a telephone conversation? A certain woman always wants to talk at length even if I am only ringing to confirm that we will meet the next day for lunch. She becomes huffy if I suggest we leave all the catching up till then.
— Name withheld, London W8
A. Why not put the ball in her court and let her be the one to cut short the chatter? Do this by ringing during an ad break of, say, Downton Abbey, saying, ‘I’m just ringing to confirm tomorrow at one.’ ‘Look forward to it,’ she will reply. ‘Shall we catch up then?’
Q. We have 50 teenagers coming to a Norfolk barn over half-term for a disco. I say a sit-down dinner is impractical and takeaway pizzas are the answer, but my wife has come over all socially anxious about this. Can you reassure her?
— P.M.,
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