It is the one I usually use. Some of the others, like the programmed phone ring, were tongue-iin-cheak, though I have seen them used. Lacking tone of voice, the written word can impart more seriousness than intended. I should know by now to be more careful. Thanks for the reminder.

Your basic point, that we should behave with integrity, is, of course, correct. Still, I don’t see that The Old Standby or The Socially Connected lack integrity, assuming that the words spoken, which can be varied depending on context, are true. In social settings there is, I believe, room to deviate from the strict truth to avoid hurting feelings. So, if you wouldn’t feel a need to circulate if you were talking with a prospective client, then telling Lizzie you must do so is not strictly true. In that case, why does saying that you do, rather than pointing out that you are probably wasting each others time, have more integrity than saying you need to refresh your drink or make a call (absent the phoney inbound call)?

Ford Harding