Honestly, that sounds like a lot of work for a movie buddy. If someone bails that much, maybe just stop making plans with them and let it fade out. Not every friendship needs a big talk to fix it, sometimes people are just flaky.

That Springfield panel meltdown cost how much in lost time?

Actually think the cloudiness might be from tire oils, not moisture. Those chemicals can seep up through fresh epoxy if it's not fully cured. Try cleaning the spots with a strong degreaser before you start grinding anything down.