DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a friend who shows up every morning with her two toddlers, whether I asked her to or not. She doesn’t understand that I don’t have children and am a little slower to wake up in the mornings. I think it’s rude that just because she texts and I don’t answer, she feels she can just show up.
Am I wrong? What should I do? I tried to explain my situation to her but she just got offended and left.
GENTLE READER: Thereby, it seems to Miss Manners, solving the problem. However, if you would like to keep the friendship and mend fences -- while also keeping them firmly in place -- you could say, “I am so sorry, but I’m afraid that I was half asleep and do not remember your visit. Please forgive me if I was brusque, but perhaps we should just stick to making plans in advance instead of spontaneous visits, so that I do not again act rashly out of sleep deprivation.”