A month ago I sent out an email arranging a night out. All the usual suspects were invited and they all agreed quite quickly. Probably something to do with the fact it wasn't just a night out - it was more of a celebration/special occasion.
Unsurprisingly, GB cried off yesterday. This isn't an issue - she was originally invited more because of habit than anything else, and she been invited out to less and less since the CB fiasco last year and certainly since she got offside at Xmas, even after I'd opened up a little and said that I kinda needed the company.
The one that got me was CH. After I'd sent out the final arrangements today, she was straight on to IM.
"But I'm only coming out for one drink!" she exclaimed.
I told her that this was news to me - that her previous plans had certainly involved not drinking, but had indicated that she would be out for a good few hours before getting the bus home.
"I'll be driving. It's my turn!"
I asked why she couldn't swap with her friend.
"My husband is working extra hours this week and I need to look after the kids."
It's plausible, but the upshot is that she's had a month so sort all this out. Certainly the driving thing could easily have been sorted. The drinking thing isn't an issue - I want the company, not necessarily for people to be drunk. KfW2 won't be drinking, for example. The only other issue is her husband working. If this had been a bog standard night out, I would have been disappointed, but accepted it. However, because it's a special occasion, I am angry that something that's not insurmountable gets in the way - she could have gotten her parents to look after the kids for a couple of hours (again, I wouldn't ask her to be out all night... but a few hours would be nice).
Sigh.
I did rant to KfW2, who was sympathetic, but what can you do? Some people are simply unreliable and that saddens me. Reliability should be the cornerstone of any friendship.
[EDIT]
CH sent me a message and asked if I would meet her for a lunchtime drink instead. Two things happened: firstly she went off on a massive rant about her friend who let her down at the last minute for a girly night out supposedly through illness but recovered enough to go out drinking the night after. I was about to tell her that her reaction wasn't OTT, but surely she realised that my own reaction to her last-minute news was similar, and if not then she was being hypocritical. I sighed, took another sip of beer and said nothing. OIt would have accomplished nothing.
Secondly, we were out for about 20 minutes. I had one pint, she had a bottle of beer and that was it. She made a move to get up and leave, but I made it clear that I was sitting on. I'd far rather she wanted to come out and have drink with me, not make it a box ticking exercise.
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