I ran into one of the conference attendees at my hotel, pushing a stroller. Of course, I had to stop and admire his beautiful nine month old baby boy. My friend introduced me to his wife, explaining that I was the one he had told her about, that this time last year I had brought my new baby to the conference. She just glared at me, and immediately I understood the problem.

“You’re mad at your husband, aren’t you,” I said.
“Yes!”
“He’s been ignoring you all week, hasn’t he?”
“Yes!” Her look of disdain was directed at both her husband, sheepishly looking at his feet, and me.

I guess I was partly too blame for a week of unfulfilled expectations. My wife and daughter didn’t come to the conference this year. She told me she would never come with me again, since I completely ignored her all week and she was bored out of her mind.

I gave a sympathetic glance to my friend, knowing that there was nothing more I could do. This was a lesson most often learned the hard way.