DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my male friends has asked me on numerous occasions to hook him up with one of my female friends. I told him I do not think any of my girlfriends would like him. Nevertheless, he insists that I hook them up. Mind you, one of my girlfriends has already met him at a party, and she has confirmed her disinterest. What more can I say to him so that he can stop bugging me? -- Cannot Take No for an Answer, Salt Lake City
DEAR CANNOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER: Rejection is extremely hard to accept, no matter who you are. This friend of yours probably thinks that because you are the go-between, that he stands a greater chance of getting a date through you. You need to squash that. Tell him that you asked your girlfriends if they would like to go out with him and they declined. That is very specific and definitive.
Further, as a friend, talk to him about the way he approaches women. If you already have a sense of why he turns off your friends and you think you can share that with him, do so. He may not realize that he has offensive behaviors. The greatest gift you may be able to give him is a clear sense of how he is perceived.