The over-explainer

I was in Publix the other day and the cashier asks the woman in front of me "Would you like to donate a dollar to the Special Olympics today?"  "Oh, I was just here yesterday and I gave then."  What is the need for this explanation?  A simple "no thank you" would have sufficed.  Do you think the cashier even believes you?, I think to myself.  Do you think the cashier is judging you for not helping disabled people?  Do you think the cashier thinks that you hate disabled people?  I feel like when you try to over explain things it just makes you look unbelievable, insincere.

Now, I'm not talking about lying.  I'm talking about the too-much-explanation-in-your-answer answer.  When the cashier asked me if I'd like to donate a dollar to the Special Olympics I simply said "Not today, thank you."  Done.  No explanation given.  End of story.  No judgements.  Maybe I already donated that day or even that week.  She doesn't know and quite honestly she doesn't need to know.  It's her job to simply ask me the question not judge me for my answer.  I, personally, don't care if she thinks I hate disabled people.

Now, I will admit that once in a while when I get invited to do something I simply don't want to do my first reaction is usually to go into some overly explained story of why I cannot go or participate or whatever.  But then I think to myself "You're allowed to say NO just because you want to."  In my selfish thinking I really don't feel like I owe anyone an explanation in life.  Well that's not entirely true.  I answer to my husband and my children, that's about it.

Most people won't question you if you simply say "I'm not going to be able to make it to your sister's BFF's daughter's boyfriend's barmitzvah."  No reason given.  Especially someone that doesn't know you very well.  But if they do happen to have the nerve to ask you "Oh yeah, why not?" you can always tell them that it's your sister's BFF's daughter's boyfriend's barmitzvah the very same day.  What are the odds?