The Perils of the Last-Minute Invitation

Last Friday I was talking to a friend abouther plans for the weekend. She mentioned, with clear irritation, that she'dbeen invited to a friend's birthday party that was happening the very next day.I asked her why she sounded so annoyed, and she said there's nothing ruder thanbeing invited to a party the day before it's supposed to occur. Obviously, shereasoned, she wasn't really wanted at the party to begin with, or she wouldhave been invited long before. "It's so clearly a B-List...