A Thursday afternoon turned dark after an email with potential brunch plans clearly revealed the commanding social power of Rianne and Lindsey, with sharp replies demanding exact locations and price points.
Lindsey’s passive-aggressive shutdown of Becky’s first restaurant suggestion made the first crucial play in the game of cat-and-mouse. Her reasoning (“We’re all on a budget here! :)”) set the tone for the rest of the emails.
“I knew I needed to keep my Gmail tab open at work – even when the boss walked by,” explained Nora, a more shy, but determined player in the group’s meal-planning politics. “That’s the risk you have to take.” Nora paused while scrolling through Yelp reviews. “God, everyone goes gaga over Rianne’s shitty suggestions.”
Becky intervened at 1:48 PM, proposing a treaty and attempting to calm all parties. “I thought if maybe I just wrote a little reminder that Gretchen is moving away in two weeks and that it doesn’t really matter where we go, as long as we see each other, that it would help us all realize what’s important.”
Cheryl, a newer player who is reportedly “down for whatever,” remained a neutral party with her multiple replies, such as, “That sounds good,” and “I love brunch!”
As the afternoon progressed, new locations, demands of vegan options, and worries about peak times dominated the email thread. “I just feel like Sunday downtown is a nightmare,” typed Nora. But it came to head when Lindsey snapped back: “Why would we pay for food unless we were going to a good place?”
“I just never guessed that the gluten allergy discussion would have become such a volatile factor toward the end,” says Rianne, having faced a first-time defeat since the “Memorial Day Drinks!!” Facebook group message of 2011.
The discussion took a surprising turn with Gretchen’s stunning last-inning strategy shift: “I’m booked Sunday! How about Sat?”
