WTF do I say to my dad when he asks where I was when he called? "Uh...at home." "Well, why didn't you answer?" "Uh...I was busy." "What where you doing?" [Hand to god, he WILL ask this.] So what in the HELL do I say to that level of nosiness?)

Carefully redirect/deflect? Instead of actually telling him where you were, "I wasn't able to get to the phone [then, before he has a chance to jump in with a question], so I called you back as soon as I could. What's up?"

And for "another obligation..." "What is it?" "Something I can't get out of. What about next Tuesday instead?" Just hustle them off to the next point of actual business so they don't have a chance to get nosy. If they do anyway, keep redirecting. "That date's not possible. If next Tuesday won't work for you, is there another day that will?" Keep redirecting away from the nosy shit.

Or wipe my memory, and its my understanding that that technology isn't perfected yet.

Tell me about it. I'd kill for a few retcon pills.

I'd kill for a few retcon pills.

Heh. Maybe you already have....

I was just reading a story which had a story within it that went something like:

And the genie said the young man 'And now you have one wish left.'
'But I don't remember anything. I wish to have my memory back,' the young man said.
'That was your first wish too,' said the genie sadly.

Teppy, my mom is the same way. Even when I do answer, she will even say "Why did it take you so long to answer the phone?" With those questions, I usually say "I was out in the yard." Even if it is evening, I could say, "taking out recyclables" or something. She buys that. And then what JZ said. "So what's up with YOU?"

My mother is really good about "You don't want to know."

Because, she knows if I say it, she really doesn't.

This is where not having a land line comes in handy too - "My phone was in my purse and I didn't hear it ring."

'That was your first wish too,' said the genie sadly.

There are so many sad genie stories....

Oh for the love of ...

I think I've lost the combinations for the locks I have to open tomorrow morning to move tenants back in to their units. And the locks I chose? Can't be cut open. I chose them for that specific purpose since the PODS units aren't in a great neighborhood. And it appears that maybe they can't be reset or opened unless you have the combination.

Good Lord, I'm a hot mess.

Most of the time people don't ask. but we they do -- an obligation ( in other words the repeat the message).

As for dad-- Just tell him you are an adult and you moved out. and that there are things in you life he doesn't want to hear about and if he persists -- give him great details about vacuuming dog hair or pulling cats off the drapes or cleaning dog poop or ironing or something dull like that . Skip the sex -- stick with the boring