the importance of timing

last week, i received an invitation coursed through a friend.  i told her i'm begging off as i don't feel like driving to the place plus the honoree and i don't really know each other.  i even had my friend repeat to me several times my statement she's supposed to relay, careful about the wording and intonation, as i was afraid it might be taken the wrong way.

well, guess what, my friend wasn't able to relay my message right away.  instead, what she made was a request to also bring someone else along.  what happened was her request was turned down  ->  either it's just her or both of us but not the third.  she was telling me about it and i was like, uh-oh, so now instead of me declining the invitation, it now appears that we were the ones turned down.  what a difference timing makes...  : }