Confrontation-defusing tactics

I was telling dad about being interrogated at Aberdalgie wood. 

"Well, this man came shouting and striding towards me." 

"So you said:  'Good afternoon?'," said dad, beaming innocently.

"It's quite scary being accosted on your own by a cross man in the country!"

"Never underestimate the power of "good afternoon".

"Isn't it rather patrician?  Besides, I'm not sure I'm old enough to say that."

He grinned.   "It's very useful." 

"Then he said, "What are you doing?"  And I replied I thought that was my business."   

"No, no, no.  You say:  I'm going for walk."

"Justify myself?  Isn't that a slippery slope?"

"Avoid confrontation," said dad. 

"Alright then.  'Where to?", I replied, imitating the angry man.

"Into this wood," said dad.

"Why?"

"Perhaps, because it's there."

"Well, you can't.  You can't just walk up people's drives. This is my drive."  

"It looks to me like a track up to this wood."

"I don't go about walking up people's drives in Perth!"  

"I should hope not!" said dad, with apparently genuine shock, yet a glint in his eye.

Then he said,  "Well, you can't come past my house"  

And I said  "I'm not coming past your house.  I can't even see your house."

He said "You can't see my house? It's right there!"

"Ah yes," interjected dad.  "And," he continued, enjoying himself thoroughly, "a very fine house it is too!"