Q. I work at home and the other day was heading out to buy a sandwich when I ran into a friend outside a local restaurant. She invited me to join her, and one of my artist heroes, inside. I accepted but when we entered I could see that a man who I always try to avoid was already sitting at the table. I knew his presence would be a vibe-changer and I was right. But Mary, how could I have made a getaway at that very late stage without being openly rude?
– Name and address withheld
A. You could have gasped that just as you were about to turn off your telephone you saw a message saying your burglar alarm had gone off and so you would have to rush back to your house to put things right. ‘Please don’t wait for me,’ you could have said. ‘The alarm is faulty but the last time this happened it was two hours before it could be turned off again.’
Q.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in