How do you get out of a bad first date? Friend is a constant Debbie Downer?
no idea how to leave without being rude. — FLOSSER FOR LIFE
DEAR FLOSSER FOR LIFE: This reminds me of a “Broad City” episode where Abbi takes a fake phone call in the middle of a date from her “doctor” concerning “test results.” Turns out, that’s a great way to excuse yourself from a table, no questions asked. But, in reality, is it fair to ditch someone mid-date? There really are two ways to play this unfortunate situation should it happen in the future. One: You can be blunt. “I’m sorry, but instead of wasting your time and mine, I feel as though I should just be honest in saying that I really don’t see this going anywhere. I hope you have a great rest of your night, and thanks for meeting.” Then throw some cash on the bar to cover both your drinks (you are ducking out early) and run. Run like the wind. Or you can wait it out until you have both finished your drinks (you by mostly gulping) and say that while you had a nice time, you are heading out to meet friends and arealready running late.
He may respond and say something like, “Why would you plan to meet friends when you knew we were meeting?” to which you could reply, “I just thought of this as an introduction, not a date. I’m sorry if you had a different impression.” And then run. Run like the wind. that you didn’t think she In either case, invest in good would be interested in, and sneakers and meet somewhere you didn’t mean to exclude very public. And the her. If she says, “Why? What wild card option? Just meet did you do that I wouldn’t men the old-fashioned way. want to do?” use this as an Bump your cart into theirs at opportunity to say in response, Whole Foods and live happily “Well, you don’t like ever after. happy hour/restaurants/living/play
DEAR NATALIE: We with puppies and have a great group of girlfriends, we didn’t want to bother but one is such a you.” She may be taken downer. No matter what we aback and say something decide to do, she has a problem like, “But we go do those with it. If we go to a things together all the time.” restaurant, she doesn’t like To which you can respond, the food. If we do a happy “Yes, and you complain hour, she’s unhappy with the about them.” See where I am location — You get the idea. going with this? You may be A few of my friends are sick able to discuss the issue in a of it and don’t want to invite gentle way and in a way that her anymore. So recently, we may make sense to her. But all went out and didn’t invite cut it out with the Instagram her. She found out after looking until you clear this up, OK at photos on Instagram, Regina George? and now she is really hurt. I Natalie’s Networking don’t want to hurt her feelings Tip of the Week: Speaking at all, but how do I tell of leaving people out, if you her she’s just not any fun? — see someone standing by his DEBBIE DOWNER FOR or herself at your next networking REAL event, walk over
DEAR DEBBIE and introduce yourself. Extend DOWNER FOR REAL: your hand, smile and This sounds like a “Mean make a new friend. Girls” scenario. It was really uncool to post photos on Instagram knowing very well that she would see them. Of course she is hurt because no one is real with her, and instead you are going behind her back and leaving her out. In any case, you should apologize for hurting her feelings. You can tell her that the girls were doing something