Hello everybody, I have an update for you.
First, I have to add a little bit to the back story:
Angela, Betsy, Paul and I used to live fairly close to each other.
Betsy and Paul have since moved a considerable distance away but usually celebrate their birthdays and other occasions at their relatives' house, back where we all used to live.
I moved to another city, a 3 1/2 hour train ride away, last year.
When Betsy announced Paul's birthday party to Angela last summer, I was in hearing distance, and she was addressing everyone close by asking them to save the date, so I had reason to think that applied for me as well. I immediately arranged with Angela and her husband (who should get a name, too, having been mentioned so often by now: let's call him Thomas) that I'd stay at their home for the whole weekend since we're eager for any opportunity to meet up and spend time together.
The announced date for Paul's party is in two weeks. So far, neither Angela nor Thomas, who happens to be an old friend of Paul's, have received an invitation - despite having already paid for Paul's birthday present; we don't know whether anybody else in that circle of friends has received one, there has been radio silence as to whether the party will actually take place or not.
However, a week ago Betsy posted a picture of the present she collected contributions for, and already bought, on facebook.
And Paul went right ahead and liked it.
I think at this point there is little doubt left about Betsy and Paul's materialism and I suspect that you agree with me that this was quite a tacky thing to do.
All this is not exactly supporting my case of keeping Angela from going ballistic in Betsy's face. But I have said my lines, that if she must have it, I'd rather she keep the encounter away from the party guests. I also asked Angela if she didn't care what our other friends thought about her ruining somebody's party and she said no, at this point, she didn't. There had been other presumptious things Betsy did before that aggravated Angela and this latest issue is kind of a "last straw" for her.
But she grudgingly agreed that this was a conversation better suited for four eyes and closed doors.
She is, however, adamant that she will not keep it a secret that, while they are all celebrating, I'll be alone at Angela's home, and that she and her husband will spend no longer than 2 hours at the party and then excuse themselves to keep me company.
At this point, I'm not sure I want to object (even though I have no trouble spending hours on end alone at Angela's: I adore her parakeets and she has quite an extensive library
).
Should I?
What's your take, especially since all this is just assuming Angela will be invited at all - and that I won't?
