The perils of being a 'nice person'

[From The Ashes]

...or 'will this make me look like a shmuck?'

So in 14 days the family is heading for Ohio. My son his girlfriend, my grandson, my sister and I are heading north for a visit. My younger son called earlier and floated the idea of taking his dad out to dinner on his birthday, which falls during our visit. He wants to know if I'm going to go out with them as well. Now, I've spoken to him about a dozen times in the last 3 years and the last time I visited I managed not to see him at all.

I'm thinking about avoiding it all together, but how to do that without looking like I'm an ass; or desperate, or lonely...

I don't think I'll be making anybody happy on this one.