How do you handle it when acquaintances approach you for your time, and you don't really want to connect with them?

Twice today, distant friends contacted me to reconnect. It doesn’t sound like much fun to me. But I’m not wanting to say no in a way that damages the relationship, either by telling them I don’t want to talk to them or by blowing off the phone call.

I feel like I’m in a lose-lose situation – do something I don’t want to do (talk to them), or hurt their feelings and our friendship, which I don’t want to do either.

Have you dealt with this? Found a way to handle this kind of thing that you feel good about?

And just so we’re clear – these are people who I enjoy just fine in person. They just aren’t relationships that I want to cultivate much beyond that. Thanks for your input.