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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Boasting/oneupmanship

65 replies

portaloo · 05/02/2011 20:36

I know this has probably been done to death, but couldn't find what I was looking for in search.

You know when some people behave in a way that appears so natural to them, ie, they don't bat an eyelid at the time, well that makes me wonder if IABU or not.

I have a friend, who I don't see so much of now, because of her constant boasting/oneupmanship. She is still on my FB, so still in contact, but only see her about once a fortnight now, and very rarely during day.
She has lots of friends and is always in and out of people's houses so she really cant be that bad can she?

Her whole conversation is made up of:

asking me what I think of her new boots/coat etc
telling me what her b/f is going to buy for her next. (This visit, it's a new car even though boyfriends car is 16 years old, an iphone and a new tv not a huge one like mine though because thats crass Shock)
Her b/f lives at the other end of the blardy country and has promised her many things that she hasn't got, including things she has needed. When he has let her down in the past, she just puts it out of her mind and goes onto the next desired purchase. No one AFAIK mentions it again.
What sale she is going to next, where it is and what she's going to buy for her gorgeous wonderful DC.
Her DC are beautiful, but they are quite blunt and dare I say it...rude. Her youngest DC actually comes to my face and says 'Your DD disgusts me, wipe her face now.' pulls me up on imagined mispronounced words, and goes through my house pointing out 'disgusting' things that make him feel sick. Shock
He doesn't share, and tells DD she is ugly, nasty, and he hates her etc etc. (He is 5, DD is 2)
My friend just sits there laughing at him, and says 'That's my boy, you can see he's my boy can't you?'
I just smile thinly.
She is having a few problems with her DS screaming in teachers faces, and refusing to work in school, as well as saying he is ill whenever he wants to go home (friend told them he was not ill, just wanted to come home).

I just don't know why we cant be friends and support each other.

Same friend has taken the piss out of my clothes in front of another friend, Friend A, who hadn't even noticed what I was wearing until then, but then started laughing, making me feel really self conscious. I didn't have anything wacky on, just a pair of blue trousers. Hmm
Friend does tell other people things about me, but I admit, I didn't specifically say at the time that I didn't want my relationship breakdown in all it's finest detail broadcast to friend A.
I do feel I cant trust her to keep things to herself, so I dont tell her much anymore, and we could kind of rub along and be friends, and see each other once a fortnight if she weren't so damn competitive. If I ever mention I have bought anything, she sneers at it, has already told me infront of Friend A again, that my frontroom is awful, that I should do XXX and XXX to change it.

It has got better since I distanced myself from her, but why oh why oh why does this friend pour scorn on other people's choice of home/furnishings/clothes/cars/lives, believing hers is superior. I wouldn't insult someone else's home by pointing out all I didn't like about it, in the name of 'telling the truth'.

Is there a point where telling the truth turns into being rude and pointless?

Friend just says she is being honest, and is proud of this fact.

If I was honest, I'd really upset her, and fall out with her.

Why do people do this??

One more thing, her DS has been smoking for a year and she told me about this last time I saw her, she is buying his cigarettes for him. I just said 'Oh, I didn't know he smoked, how long has he been smoking for?'
She replied 'A year, and anyway, when did you start smoking? I'll bet you were younger than my DS, so don't think of being a hypocrite. You can't say it's wrong if you did it yourself blah blah blah' I told her that I was not underage, didn't get my mum to buy my cigs for me, and would be teaching my DC not to make the same mistakes as I had, and if that makes me a hypocrite, then so bloody be it.'
I'm not saying I will be any more successful than friend, but she seems proud that her DS smokes. Shock She was grinning like a cheshire cat whilst telling me. Hmm

Other than that, when I have been down/depressed, friend has been there, so would rather not fall out with her.

Any idea's on how to handle this?
AIBU to think most people don't behave like this? I seem to be the only one of our friends who thinks like this, another reason for believing it is just me being oversensitive. I have been there when friend has ripped into another friends clothes etc, and although they look embarrassed, they just laugh it off, and remain friends. Is it just me who can't seem to treat it like water off a ducks back?
I can't imagine there's many people who would like to be gossiped about behind their backs, but maybe they think Friend only does that to others, not them. Hmm

Can anyone make sense of this type of behaviour? Where am I going wrong for her to speak to me like she does?

OP posts:
MorticiaAddams · 05/02/2011 21:47

She has a problem in that she does this.

You have a problem in that you allow her to do this to you.

kittybuttoon · 05/02/2011 21:50

Gosh, Portaloo - peering through holes in your blinds? That's not normal!

Are you a bit frightened of your 'friend'? Do you think that if you cut her off she might turn the other women in the village against you? Perhaps you fear she knows too much about you, and might 'spill the beans' to damage you?

If so, you might find that the other women feel the same as you do. I know she has been good to you in the past, but she sounds like a right controlling bully to me, as an outsider.

The example of Adam and Justin from MadamDeathstare is such a good illustration of how to handle her.

And, if besieged, go to upstairs window, lean out, say 'Not today, friend, I'm busy. Laters!'. Close window. Repeat as necessary.

janelikesjam · 05/02/2011 21:56

This reminds me of a friend of mine, or should I say ex-friend!

Sometimes its quite in-yer-face e.g. being rude - other times quite subtle, just sort of "not listening", tuning out, talking/boasting about herself too much, or subtly putting-you-down e.g. "I'd never pay that much for a dress" while I show her something I bought.

What I have decided to do now more, is monitor how I FEEL when around someone like her (I could never relax in the end). Does she make me feel UNCOMFORTABLE too often, do I feel INVALIDATED too often, do we really have a CONNECTION, or do I often feel USED in some way, that her relationship with me is very SUPERFICIAL from her point of view?

I think I kept a friend like that for too long.

MadamDeathstare · 05/02/2011 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

allatsea1 · 05/02/2011 22:02

Insecure in the extreme. I have a 'friend' like this and can't quite kick her to the kerb either. Just make sure you have a proper friend/s too...

softglowsandmaybes · 05/02/2011 22:03

how old are you?

MadamDeathstare · 05/02/2011 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

plupervert · 05/02/2011 22:15

Peering in your windows? Getting her DCs to shout? How desperate is she to avoid her own company, and that of her children? "That's my boy, you can see he's my boy can't you?" YES!

boogiewoogie · 05/02/2011 22:16

MadamDeathstare has it absolutely spot on. I was reading your post and it really reminded me of a male best friend as he called himself but was no friend at all. Like your friend, he would have delusions of grandeur and congratulate himself for having saved £xx in the bank, quickly disparages others if he sees them as a threat or say that others dislike him because they are jealous that he has more success with women Hmm, etc. Thankfully I am rid of him.

This so called friend of yours is no friend at all and should be kept at arms length. I do however agree that perhaps your boundaries are not clearly defined and you are therefore inadvertently letting her walk over you. Stand your ground.Now that you know where the problem is, at least you can take positive action.

Best of luck in defriending. It won't be pleasant but believe me it will be absolutely liberating.

FunnysInTheGarden · 05/02/2011 22:16

tooooo long OP, would hazard a guess and get a new friend?

bupcakesandcunting · 05/02/2011 22:17

She sounds like a right twat. Do you want a right twat in your life?

FunnysInTheGarden · 05/02/2011 22:21

bupcakes say it like it is, thats my girl..............and yes a right fucking twat. Get rid pronto

portaloo · 05/02/2011 22:26

MadamDeathstare I will have to rehearse your suggestions. They are great. Smile
I actually felt proud of Justin for sticking up for himself. I hope my DD learns to do this too. This is why I know I need to stand my ground, to set a good example for my DD, as well as for myself.
I have heard people say 'That's just the way she is.' too.

Janelikesjam My friend is exactly the same. She talks over me when my eldest DC is there, and just chats to her instead. Your post reminded me of the last time friend was here. I was asking her how she was, my eldest was sitting next to me, and after practically every word I said, friend said 'Tea'. I went and put the kettle on, and stayed in the kitchen, getting cups out when suddenly friend shouted me. She'd finally decided to talk to me and I had assumed she was still talking to DD, so hadn't been listening. Grin
Friend also boasts, says I have been ripped off, then tells her friends that I have been ripped off. (Apparently, £180 for a full service on my car is a complete rip off, friend doesn't even drive, but she knows these things Hmm)

KittyButtoon I suppose that is a part of it. Friend has done some vvv childish things to people she hasn't liked. On one occasion, she had a friend of hers print off posters of a womans conversation online where the woman had been criticising the headteacher. She then stuck the posters all over every available lamp post in the village and took one into the headteacher 'because I'm a bitch like that.' She found this hilariously funny. I thought it was pathetic and she should have left well alone. I asked her whether she was concerned that this woman would realise it was her, and cause trouble. She just grinned, and said 'I'll tell her it was me.Grin.
I admit I was more concerned for her DC if there was trouble. Friend lives alone, her b/f only comes to see her once every few weeks since he lives so far away.

OP posts:
bupcakesandcunting · 05/02/2011 22:28

funny you big bastard, where you been, girlfrien'?

missalien · 05/02/2011 22:29

I have found that the words what do you mean by that? Have helped me in situations with manipulative toxic people when their comments are snide and I cant believe what im hearing. Its usually makes them back track and adjust what they are saying. try it and see.

portaloo · 05/02/2011 22:29

softglowsandmaybes I am in my 30's as is friend, but she is younger than me. Why do you ask?

OP posts:
FunnysInTheGarden · 05/02/2011 22:30

Hey, bup, I hardly recognised you new cunting user name. Whappen to CupCakes. Twas soo sweet. But BTW am loving the new MN introverted take.

bupcakesandcunting · 05/02/2011 22:40

I was told that Cupcakes was too twee for my good self and that Bupcakesandcunting was more suitable. I agreed Grin

Do ya wanna be in my gang anyway? Grin

softglowsandmaybes · 05/02/2011 22:41

just seems a bit playgroundy if you ask me.

FunnysInTheGarden · 05/02/2011 22:42

aye bupcakes is much much better, and yes I accept your cordial invitation.

Anyhoo aren't we supposed to be saying what a cunt the OP's BF is?

bupcakesandcunting · 05/02/2011 22:43

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

plupervert · 05/02/2011 22:43

That thing about the criticism of the head teacher is quite deranged. I can't believe she got someone to print that up as POSTERS!

Well, if that sap didn't stand up to her, and no-one else did, you will be the first to put her in her place (down a hole of shame). And won't they all be jealous of your guts!

This woman has got to be stoppped.

FunnysInTheGarden · 05/02/2011 22:47

yay bup goferrit. OP howz about it?

portaloo · 05/02/2011 22:49

bupcakes and Funny I am laughing like a drain here. Grin

plupervert Maybe it's the typical bully thing, no one wants to fall out with her in case she divulges their business, humiliates them??

So, I'm going to stand my ground, and try a few more 'Not today mate, busy, Laters Grin'

OP posts:
spongebobsquareknickers · 05/02/2011 22:52

I had a "friend" like this, not any more. I gave up one day and simply stopped contacting her. She didnt contact me. Some people are just selfish and horrible.

I would visit her every day after work. She didnt once visit my CITY CENTRE flat in the six months I lived there.