Paying lip service to a friendship?
By breepeace
@breepeace (3014)
Canada
May 7, 2007 6:54pm CST
I have a friend that I feel is just pretending like our friendship is important to him. He writes notes on my Facebook ‘wall’ about how much he misses me, but he’s only 20 minutes away from me, so if he misses me so damn much, why doesn’t he come visit me, and why doesn’t he send me private messages?
He’ll also ask if I want to hang out, or go do something, and then will never call. Or we’ll set up a movie night, or a night to meet for dinner, and he won’t show. I’ve actually gone to the trouble of making a full dinner for him, and then he calls when everything’s cooking to let me know he won’t be able to make it. No excuse, just that he can’t come.
A few days ago, we ran into each other, and he tells me his sister is coming into town and if I want to she’ll cut my hair for me. I say sure, and ask when it is, and he tells me Monday (which is today, obviously). I told him to send me a message letting me know when and where, and I heard nothing from him all weekend, so I sent him a message this morning asking where I needed to go, and he tells me she’s not coming anymore. Like when was he planning on telling me?
Our friendship is still pretty rocky after he pretty much destroyed it shortly before Christmas, but he says he wants to resurrect it and would feel awful if he lost me as a friend, but I’m beginning to believe he wouldn’t care at all, and quite frankly, I’m not sure I would either. I put in almost no effort anymore just because I’m tired of putting in the effort only to have plans fall through with him.
Does anyone else have a flaky friend like this? What’s up with them? Why waste your time and energy trying to ‘play’ friend, when it would be a lot more beneficial to either just BE a friend or sever the friendship neatly?
3 responses
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
8 May 07
How long have you been friends with this person? I've had the same best friend for 25 years, she lives 10 minutes away and I see her maybe twice a year. We talk onthe phone once a week, but that's about it. It's not that we don't care about each other, it's just that I'm amrried with three kids, and she is single and working for her doctorate. Still, that doesn't excuse the way this person is treating you. Actions speak louder than words, and if I were you I'd confront them about their behavior and how it makes you feel, then see what kind of effort they put into your friendship.
@BlueOrchid (187)
• United States
8 May 07
soccermom, your avatar used to be my livejournal icon! haha I love that animation.
1 person likes this
@pamilicious (265)
• Malaysia
9 May 07
Iv been through this before. When i was in that situation i felt like crap.. its like he's using me. so i decided to not care about the person anymore coz the energy he's bringing is so negative until one point i said, enough of it. i am not going to be used by him anymore.. there are some people who thinks that other people are like a switch that they can turn on and off. a true friend wont do that, and i got rid of the negative energies in my life. im a happier person now. i hope your friend realize what he's doing to you and how its affecting your life.. have a nice day!
1 person likes this
@BlueOrchid (187)
• United States
8 May 07
Oh my goodness! I swear I thought for a second I was reading my own post! I have a friend EXACTLY like that, every detail. He's getting a little bit better recently, but that was after quite a few heart-to-heart conversations. I've had to sit him down several times and tell him calmly and clearly whathe was doing and how it made me feel.
You have to be very careful not to phrase things in such a way thathe feels "attacked" because then he will get defensive and stop listening. Just let him know how much he means to you and how his seemingly small things ("forgetting" to tell you his sister cancelled) hurt you more than he realizes. You value the friendship but you deserve to be treated better.
Best of luck! (to you AND me!)