Catching up with old friends or having your own private gathering?

 

I hate to do this. But for future class gatherings, I won't turn up unless there are people to steer the talk away from the milestones in life.
 

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When planning gatherings, I hate it when people base their decision to attend, conditional on the turn-out of their buddies. Imagine sending out a round of messages to 30 people...
-2 says yes
-10 ask you, "Who's going?"
-18 keep quiet

You shrewdly add the names of people who you know are waiting to know if their buddies would turn up and send out another round of messages to these 30 people again...
-2 say no
-4 say yes
-7 ask you, "Is XXX going?"
-17 keep quiet

Again, you update the list, trying to get the little gangs to turn up.
-13 say no
-5 say yes
-2 ask you, "Who's going?"
-10 keep quiet

At this stage, I'll be rather pissed and disheartened.