How can I keep a distance?

Tweet

Three of my coworkers have been very close friends at one time. In all three cases, they became pushy and tried to run my life! They'd make plans for me without my consent, or tell me (not ask) that I was going with them here or there. It's hard to explain, but they took advantage of the fact that I'm a quiet and mannerly person. I'd tell them they were smothering me and ask them to back off, but all of them told me they figured that, if I meant it, I'd be yelling and cursing. That's just not me. Anyway, eventually I'd just get up from lunch (the only time we'd see each other during the work day) and go outside. Others would say things to them, like that they wondered how long I'd put up with them. Then, for a couple of years, we wouldn't speak at all. Well, lately all three of them call me often, ask (not tell - that's progress) me to go here or there, etc. I truly don't have time these days, but there are so many phone messages, e-mails, etc., it's frightening. I know many people would just tell them to get lost, but I don't go any further than being polite. They're all sort of creeping up again, and they all thell me how they can stand the other two because they're pushy and overbearing. =) I'm not at all a doormat, but apparently these women mistake polite for submissive. I don't want anybody to move in on my life, except my husband. My health is very poor, so I have to go to various doctors almost every day after work. They call to ask how the visit went. OK. Not a bad thing. But then they expect me to stay on the phone for hours, when I have too much to do. I don't even want to ask any of them to join myLot because I can't imagine having to encounter them here, too. Sorry about the rambling, but I don't know what to do. Incidentally, we're teachers, and my students tell them off when the interrupt my classes. How can they? Why aren't they in their classes? Any suggestions before school reopens next month?