Begin Again

The conversation went something like this:

Me:  “’Tom’ asked if we were still getting together as a group to go to that play you wanted to see.”

Him, casually:  “Oh yeah, that sounds good…”

Me, impatiently: “Ok … I’ll get it together.  I told him, although it was your idea that I would be the one organizing it.”

Him, with a twinkle in his eye, ignoring the bait: “Well, ok…”

Me, hammering it: “It’s like most things.  For example:  if we go see a movie it’s usually my idea.  I’ll say ‘You want to go see a movie?’ and you’ll say ‘If you want to.’"

 

Me, droning now:  “You should be able to ask ‘What movie do you want to see?’  If it’s not one that you would like to see, you could say ‘I do not want to see that movie.’ At which point, I could return with: ‘I’ll go see it by myself’ or ‘Is there a movie that you would prefer to see?’"

Me, slinding into obnoxiousness:  “You don’t have to go with me to the movie.  I’m a big boy.  I can go by myself.  I have been to the movie many times by myself before you came along…”

Him, nailing it:  “But I’m here now.”

Me, stopped in my tracks and retreating a bit:  “Well, I guess that you should have the right to say you’ll go with me if I want to go.  I’d do the same for you."

The truth dawning on me:  “I guess we ended up at square one…”

He simply shot me a smile.