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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To let this friendship go?

9 replies

Pigglesworth · 28/09/2013 12:52

Note: I know that this may seem trivial! I am very loyal to my friends so it is a big deal to me to drop a friendship, hence the over-analysis.

I have a friend who I met through work around four years ago. Since then we have met around every three months, usually catching up over dinner. She's gone through a lot in that time, and I've supported her through this, including the break-up of her marriage and ongoing struggles with poor health and depression (which continue). She moved house around 4 months ago I'd say. She lives alone and has no children.

Since around the beginning of this year, we've seen each other twice, and I've noticed that she's behaved in a less enthusiastic way about catching up - I don't remember the details anymore but I recall the first time this year I think she cancelled twice, once on the day itself, before we saw each other, citing tiredness etc.; and the second time she may have cancelled once and I remember it taking quite a while to actually organise a day to see each other. Then when she moved house, she messaged me about it and I replied saying I'd love to see it once she's settled in; she took around 4 weeks to reply to that text message. When she eventually replied, apologising for the delay, I texted back immediately saying that was OK as I'd assumed she was busy with work and the house move, again asking when she might be free; and it was around 1.5 months before she replied, with a weirdly impersonal message saying, "I haven't forgotten about you! Thanks Pigglesworth." (I didn't reply.) Then, around 1.5 months after that, she sent a text apologising for the delay and saying she'd "love" to see me over the next few weeks. (That was a few days ago; I haven't replied.) During this period she has been on Facebook a lot updating with jokes/memes etc., which suggests that she has not been insanely busy.

I really value the friends I make and I have a lot of good, close friends. I strongly value sincerity and loyalty in my friendships. Although it's hurtful to have someone who I had perceived as a genuine friend behaving in such an unenthusiastic way about catching up, if her enthusiasm for the friendship has waned that is fine and I don't want anyone to feel unhappy/obliged about seeing me! I guess basically I am saying that after pretty much a 3-4 month delay in her response regarding catching up, it has made me feel that she doesn't value me very highly as a friend, and at this stage I'd written off the friendship months ago. I don't have any other friends who delay their reply to texts for weeks/months, and I think it's rude. We worked in a somewhat "prestigious" setting and I know she values "networking" and would never respond in this way to her boss or staff of similar status, for example.

Would I be unreasonable to just not reply to her text and let this friendship go? Complicating matters, my partner works at that organisation and bumps into this person, who repeatedly says how she'd love to have us over. He got a bit stressed when I mentioned this issue and said he was worried about there being awkwardness for him at work. Or... am I being heartless and underestimating the impact that depression/health issues/the stress of a house move may have on her, and give her another chance? I have to admit my heart is not in the friendship anymore after this, regardless, as I have assumed that her behaviour reflects her not valuing the friendship very highly.

I am a very sensitive person though and may be overreacting... would love to get some other opinions on how others would deal with this.

OP posts:
AmandaHoldenmigroin · 28/09/2013 13:00

Texting is just the easy way out and it's easy to misconstrue something. Why not pick up the phone and call her?

LaurieFairyCake · 28/09/2013 13:00

It's much simpler than that.

All you have to do is leave it as long as she does between texts.

Then it will eventually become 'oh we must meet up' and it will petre out.

Pigglesworth · 28/09/2013 13:09

Thank you both. :)

AmandaHoldenmigroin, I completely agree, and thought the same thing as I wrote about "she texted" "I texted" etc., but at this stage I've kind of lost enthusiasm/feel like our connection has waned! Maybe I'm answering my own question in writing that. I guess a big concern at this stage is that I don't want to cause unnecessary awkwardness for my partner at work.

LaurieFairyCake, haha I like your strategy, with a 4-month delay between texts things would fizzle out very quickly!

OP posts:
DoJo · 28/09/2013 13:20

The fact that she is initiating contact, even after a significant delay, suggests that she is not trying to let the friendship dissipate, but only you know whether you find that acceptable. She may have been posting on Facebook etc, but that is quite different from having time to actually get together, plus, if she has a history of depression is it possible that she might have been having a bad time with her mental health which might have made her feel unable to be sociable. Could you maybe call her and explain that you were worried because you hadn't heard from her for so long and give her the chance to explain before you write her off completely. It's much easier to gauge things when you can actually hear someone's tone of voice and if you speak to her you both might find it easier to open up.

Pigglesworth · 28/09/2013 13:44

Thanks DoJo - it really helps to get compassionate perspectives from outside the situation because I don't want my over-sensitivity to cause me to overreact unnecessarily... I have to admit that I don't really find her behaviour acceptable, but also don't want to let someone down if they're actually really struggling. Which I suppose I will only find out if I call or see her...

OP posts:
RobotLover68 · 28/09/2013 13:47

Complicating matters, my partner works at that organisation and bumps into this person, who repeatedly says how she'd love to have us over. He got a bit stressed when I mentioned this issue and said he was worried about there being awkwardness for him at work

All he has to do is smile and nod, she won't make any arrangements I'm sure of it. I've known people like this before "oh you must come over" translates as "I'm being polite but have no intention of setting a date"

Thumbwitch · 28/09/2013 13:49

I think that you should just leave it until she makes a firm invitation, or actually tries to set up a date for you to come over, and then you can just go with what she suggests; if she cancels on you again then yes, probably it is time to let it go.

For now though I would just put her to the back of your mind and not worry about any of it. Let her be an "as and when" friend and then her behaviour won't fret you so much.

Pigglesworth · 28/09/2013 22:54

Thanks RobotLover68 and Thumbwitch - I think you're right, RobotLover68, that she's the type of person to say such things but not follow through on it - she is very into "networking", as she has said herself many times, and in her job that is very important to her success. I personally can't stand the term or concept of "networking" but thought our friendship was genuine/separate from that. Perhaps these recent experiences are suggesting otherwise, which is why I'm bothered about it all.

I think what I'll do is just text back with an empty platitude - e.g., "That'd be great" - and leave it at that. Totally leave the ball in her court so that if we do ever meet again, I know she actually wanted to. And that way I don't look rude. As things are currently, I don't really want to put in any more effort than that.

I really appreciate everyone's advice.

OP posts:
Tabby1963 · 28/09/2013 23:07

Pigglesworth, don't dwell on it, sometime people just move on, don't take it personally. This happened to me a few years ago. I realised that it was me that kept the friendship going by always ringing her, so I decided not to phone again, but wait for her to get in touch with me. That was eight years ago now...

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