Twelve

– Not sure I'm in the mood for the office Christmas party tonight.
– Any reason in particular, or just your general antipathy towards any form of social event?
– Well, clearly there is that. I have to work hard to maintain my reputation as a curmudgeonly old Scrooge. It doesn't come naturally.
– You seem seem to have got it off to a tee.
– Thank you. It's good to hear that the years of effort have not been wasted. But things have been frantic recently, and sometimes you just want a quiet evening, preferably not in the company of work colleagues and senior management.
– You should look on it as an opportunity to break down barriers and make new contacts, and potentially enhance your standing within the company.
– Or at the very least, just enjoy the first turkey dinner of the season.