We have all done it. We took a day or two to send a response or to call someone back and immediately open with:

“Dear Mel,

I am so sorry it took so long to get back to you!…”

Trust me, I get it. We feel bad that we didn’t respond or pick up the phone right when the recipient wanted us too. AND, every time you apologize, you perpetuate the notion that we are all at each others beck and call and that nothing “should have been” more important than responding to their electronic communication. Fuck that.