Journeys With Jani

There are few phrases in the English language that make me instantly suspicious, and “Are you busy tomorrow?” is right up there with “We need to talk” and “Don’t freak out, but…”

You see, “Are you busy tomorrow?” is never just a casual inquiry. It’s the opening line to a mystery novel where I’m the main character and the plot twist usually involves me holding a rake, a moving box, or someone’s emotional baggage.

Now, don’t get me wrong — I might have tomorrow wide open. But whether or not I’m willing to share that information depends entirely on the next sentence out of your mouth. Because let’s be honest: the follow-up could be anything from “Want to grab brunch?” (yes, obviously) to “Can you help me move my cousin’s refrigerator up three flights of stairs?” (and suddenly, I’m swamped).

And I’ve learned this the hard way. Over the years, I’ve been roped into:

-Standing in 97-degree heat holding a yard sale sign on a street corner.

-“Quick” errands that turned into 8-hour hostage situations.

-Housesitting and they definitely did not mention in the original agreement a snake was roaming freely in the kitchen (No one tells you about the pet iguana until it’s sitting on your shoulder either).

So here’s my policy: If you ask me “Are you busy tomorrow?” without offering the context immediately, I’m going to assume you’re about to recruit me into something that will require either work gloves, a casserole, or a bail bondsman.

Therefore, my response will be:

“That entirely depends on the rest of the information you’re about to give me, my dear.”

Because sometimes the answer is, “No, I’m free!”

And other times, it’s, “I was planning on washing my hair and reorganizing my spice cabinet… all day.”

So if you’re asking? Lead with the details. Trust me, it’ll save us both a lot of awkward backpedaling.