hind sight 20/20...

I guess the one thing I'd have liked to have kept in mind is that if I have to ask, the answers already no.  Straightforward and perfectly succinct; if he wanted what I was asking him about we would have already been there.  He's known that was an option... But ultimately it's still better to no longer have a loophole; no way to make an excuse.  For that I have to be grateful, I wonder how long it'll take to get over him.