Speaking of departures, have you ever marveled at the truly inventive excuses that chatters give to escape gracefully from the chat room?
�Oh, oh, phone,� is a common one. Knowing the number of people who have dial-up modem connections, I find that excuse a bit lame! (It could, however, be legitimate, but don't use it too often.) I suggest that you substitute �Oh, oh, cell phone.� That way we will be sure to wonder whether you are fibbing or not.
The classic, �Gotta go. Have a honey-do list,� is a winner. The user not only departs with admiring glances for instant compliance, but also wins accolades for attention to every detail around the hearth and home. I would think after a few years, though, that there would be nothing left to be done and the user could spend hours on the computer!
Someone with computer expertise should explain how easy it is to access e-mail while still in the chat room. That would eliminate that excuse for people so popular that their mail takes forever to read or those who leave to fry their Spam.
Some chatters obviously run Bed and Breakfasts. How else can a constant stream of �Have company. Need to run.� explain the number of visitors that some people have? Do some of you trade visitors so you always have an excuse at hand? Or are you selling something out the back door?
�The dog wants out� and �Time to eat� lack a certain ring of veracity. Why not suggest that Publishers� Clearing House is knocking at your door or that you see the court bailiff with a summons in his hand. We�d be more apt to believe you.
The really clever chatters provide their excuses with their first posts. No one will think twice about the person who logs on with �If I disappear it�s because of the storm,� or �I can only stay a minute.� If you decide to stay we conclude that your weather has abated or that you have rearranged your schedule. In either event, you found the chat room interesting and decided to stick around.
�My screen is acting up� and �Did you have trouble logging on� can be ready-made, legitimate, pre-excuses and you won�t be faulted for using them occasionally. But if you made it to the chat room, obviously you logged on successfully.
CUL ! (It�s too hard to talk with my tongue in my cheek!)