why do some people have to make things so hard?

So we did the whole cotillion thing last Friday. Let me back up and lay some groundwork.

There are three kids in our neighborhood who go to the youngster's school in the age group that does the cotillion thing, and all three do participate. We have the youngster, young Steeler Fan and Ms. Hard to Deal With. I was going to try to give Ms. Hard to Deal With the benefit of the doubt and lay all the blame on her parents, but that's not true. She's following in Mommy and Daddy's footsteps.

Ms. Hard to Deal With used to carpool with the rest of us, but she, or her parents, or her brother had issues, almost on a weekly basis, that involved someone else doing something out of the ordinary to accomodate them, and eventually they gave up on the carpool. The remaining families at the time threw a small party.

Still, this cotillion deal is a fair distance, so we try to get everybody there in one fell swoop. This time young Steeler Fan was bowing out, because this time it was formal and, "I don't have any formal clothes." The wife winced and called Mrs. Hard to Deal With to see if they wanted to share rides to the dance. Mrs. Hard to Deal With had great news. She was volunteering at the dance and could actually take the kids both ways. WOW! That was unexpected. This is way too easy. Later Mrs. Steeler Fan called. Young Steeler Fan was indeed going. She just needed to buy him some pants, and did we want to carpool? The wife shared the news that Mrs. Hard to Deal With was doing all the driving...and there was much rejoicing.

Of course, it was too good to be true.

About an hour later, Mr. Hard to Deal With calls the wife and asks, "Does the youngster need a ride to the dance?" OOOOOkay, where is this coming from. Thought that was all arranged. The wife explains that she talked to his wife and thought she had it handled.

In his best Office Space Lumbergh voice, "Weelllll, you see, that's the thing. Ms. Hard to Deal With has a soccer game and will be leaving late. Mrs. Hard to Deal With can take them, but Mrs. Steeler Fan is bringing her son over here to make it easier. Can you do that with the youngster?"

"Sure, no problem"

Sill doing Lumbergh, "Greeeeaaaat."

"Mrs. Hard to Deal with is still bringing them home, isn't she?"

The resemblence is uncanny (the wife is fabricating an excuse for why her TPS reports aren't done), "I'll get back to you on that."

A few minutes later he calls to say Mrs. Hard to Deal with isn't feeling well and will be leaving the dance before it ends, soooo....the wife just stops the conversation short, throws in the towel and volunteers me (of course) to pick them up...which is what happened.

So....why? Why does it have to be difficult? Why does he call and ask if the youngster needs a ride, knowing full well his wife already volunteered? Why the pretense, when we're all big kids and know better? Can't we just cut to the chase and say, we were going to do it this way, but we can't, so can you help...or something? Why does it have to be pulling teeth for something as simple as the logistics of getting three kids to and from a freakin' dance?

Sorry...the rant is ending now.

Bottom line, the youngster had fun so it was all worth it, and that's what really matters.