I only managed to read this now...
I didn't expect him to return it either, I was actually thinking that before you even mentioned it. As always there's more to your stories than it meets the eye. This one is a funny episode with a bit of a bitter ending, there's no burning, shooting, murdering or buildings falling down, but I feel it's really about how we like to be perceived by people we don't really know and how much we feel we have to maintain the integrity of our image in front of the people who, we feel, have a good opinion about us. I think it's testament to some sensitivity that you ultimately felt sorry of (presumably?) disappointing someone you never really knew :)
I absolutely love the last statement you made. About disappointing someone you never knew. I guess I really cared about their perception of me, (especially Julie). The thought of them thinking negative about me after all the history we had built up over time. Man, that was painful.
Very insightful, my friend. :)