Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this as awful as I think or AIBU?

82 replies

Ginlinessisnexttogodliness · 11/07/2017 09:31

Try to cut a long story short. Sorry if it isn't but I am still absolutely raging three weeks on and need to get it off my chest to people other than husband, mother and other friends before my pregnant self explodes Ina ball of unresolved fucked off ness.

Basically I have had a very close friend for 14 years. We've been through a lot together- break ups, bearevements, me having two soon the be three children, the usual stuff. However on top of that she has had a very difficult time and is currently off work and in therapy for some personal issues.

We don't live near to each other anymore and it has not been easy for me to come and see her with three pregnancies in four years and not being very well myself, plus a very difficult time in my own relationship which took a lof of working out. However during this time I have called or texted her almost every week, to see how things are, now her therapy is going, advice and support about work and career. I have been genuinely concerned along the way that she has done some very peculiar things have never told her my own views other than I want her to be careful and happy. As I say, throughout everything this I have been there for her. I thought that was reciprocated. So much so that the day before the incident she wrote me a message saying she couldn't wait to come and see me again as I had been such a good friend and source of support despite having a lot on my plate and how much she valued me not just fobbing her off or cutting her out of my life because we didn't see each other anywhere near as much as we used to.

Anyway, the next day whilst resting after a long day on holiday day lugging children around in the heat I made the mistake of engaging in a debate she and started on social media. Yes I know. But it was about the election and in particular a field where I used to work before a career break to raise my children. There were about twenty people involved in this. I am trying to paraphrase but you need to understand the context. I have acquaintances that I used to work with and people who I have discussed work with in terms of future freelance jobs on my account. She knows this.

Anyway to cut a long story short she wrote that I knew nothing about what doing a real day's work was since I spend most of my day sat on my arse trying to avoid doing anything other than redirecting emails and she feared for my ability to cope once back in the "real world" she ended it with "I think you would find any job taxing and beyond your capacity now to be honest😉" yes wink induced.

I was gobsmacked and beyond livid. To me it was defamation of character as she even specifically mentioned certain details. None of it is true I hasten to add. I worked my arse off in that job and had a good reputation.

Anyway when I confronted her about it (via telephone) she was utterly unapologetic and actually added further insults. She brought my relationship problems in, and said as far as she was concerned the friendship was over when I moved away and I was an arrogant bully.

I didn't hit back, as frankly I was too stunned to. I have blocked her now and cut off all contact but i am still reeling for how badly she behaved towards me. To add insult to injury she still owes me the best part of £1,000 from a holiday we had that I paid for under assurances she'd pay me back.

I have resisted the temptation to write to her and tell her a few home truths but annoyingly I find myself unable to move on from how insulting and peculiar and unrepentant she is. Even other people on this discussion stated their incredulity at what she had written to and about me.

I suppose i am just venting really and I know I will never see the money, I'm not so sure I even want it now, but I feel unless I resolve how I feel with her it will just niggle away. I don't want to resurrect the friendship that apparently I had failed so miserably at, so wonder if there is any point, as I am keen to avoid remonstrations and fanning the flames.

What would you do?
AIBU or has she really been as hurtful as I think she has and this mindset is justified?

OP posts:
Cookiesandcake · 11/07/2017 09:38

Yanbu. The way she reacted to your phone call would indicate to me that she hasn't felt close to you for a while and has just been acting like your friend still for politeness sake, sorry.

Whichwayyisup · 11/07/2017 09:41

It sounds as though there have been resentments in the background all along that are surfacing.

I don't blame you for being hurt.

Sometimes friendships have an expiry date and unless you are able to communicate and resolve this current situation it sounds like you might have hit yours.

So sorry OP. It must be a horrible time for you

e1y1 · 11/07/2017 09:46

YANBU she has been beyond awful, a friend doesn't question your ability - regardless.

One of life's cruelties - people who you care about (and are supposed to care about you), can end up hurting you.

I would consider the friendship has run it's course. I would send her a message, saying that you consider the friendship over too, and just say as soon as is convenient, can she pay the money she owes you.

kissmethere · 11/07/2017 09:48

Yanbu as far as I can see that's a tough one. She's been acting peculiar and this personal attack is probably a manifestation of her troubles.
However, she's done a shitty thing and I would let her go if I was you. You've already had it out with her and she's unrepentant. Some people are fogged over when they they're going through their own stuff. You may not get an apology or your money and she doesn't sound like she's worth the stress.

Ginlinessisnexttogodliness · 11/07/2017 09:49

Thank You for your honesty. Husband has said the same, he is very live and let live and often rolls his eyes at me but he said it was breathtakingly out of order.

I have written to her and said that would be the last she'd hear from me. No reply.

I will never get the money back.

OP posts:
Ginlinessisnexttogodliness · 11/07/2017 09:50

Kiss I believe your observation to be spot on. That's why I haven't really hit the roof as I don't want to damage her even more. Despite how hurt I feel.

OP posts:
kissmethere · 11/07/2017 10:03

I've been in a similar boat. What struck me in your post was
"the friendship that apparently I've failed so miserably at"
I'm actually still in that boat. I'm raging with an old friend but like you said as well I've refrained from giving her some home truths. I don't want to out myself with anything else.
You've also got witnesses to her bollox so what can you do. She may realise one day how much she's damaged the friendship with what she said but I wouldn't hang around for that day to come.

EezerGoode · 11/07/2017 10:19

Never lend money you can't afford to loose.and be pleased you are well shot of her x she's a cow

ChasedByBees · 11/07/2017 10:20

Do you have written evidence she owes you the money? If so, I'd request it back and if you have no joy, go to small claims. Actually request it back via email anyway, she might acknowledge she owes it if she replies.

provider5sectorzz9 · 11/07/2017 10:21

I think I might just ignore the insults and pursue her for the money
She sounds nuts!

thethoughtfox · 11/07/2017 10:22

You have said she is in therapy and done ' peculiar things'. Choose to look at this odd behaviour as part of her own personal problems and issues. Withdraw from all contact with her and move on.

ISpeakJive · 11/07/2017 10:24

Have you actually asked for that money back?

Popchyck · 11/07/2017 10:24

She owes you a lot of money, and she felt a lot of embarrassment and resentment about it. So she engineered a falling-out so that she can leave the debt, the embarrassment and resentment behind. I suspect that this might actually be at the heart of it.

I loaned money to someone who then fabricated a falling-out so that they felt 'justified' in not paying it back. I also had a "thanks so much for everything, you are wonderful" message a couple of days before the falling-out. I think it is common.

And of course, she lives quite a way away from you so it's not like you will be bumping into each other all the time. That made it easier for her to be horrible; we tend not to be quite so horrible to people we constantly bump into at the Co-op.

If it is any comfort, I think it would have happened whatever you did or didn't do. It is her poor behaviour that caused this, not your reaction to it.

CardinalCat · 11/07/2017 10:25

Forget about the lost money- consider it a small token to pay to be free form such a toxic friendship. It sounded like she took far moer than she ever gave, and is really quite resentful of your life (does she have kids? Did she want them? She sounds slightly jelous, and I wonder if that might be a reason?)

Anyway, don't waste another ounce of energy on her.

It's done. She has made sure of that.

I had to walk away from a long friendship in equally 'dramatic' terms and I spent far too long trying to get mutual friends to understand 'my side' and how manifestly unfair the whole situation had been to me. I wish I hadn't bothered. Real friends will know what's what. Those who don't work it out aren't real friends. I really wish I'd spared myself the effort and some dignity by just pretending that she didn't exist anymore rather than keeping the situation alive through my extended anger and disappointment and hurt.

CardinalCat · 11/07/2017 10:26

PAH, bleeding typos (hit send too soon.) You get the gist I hope, OP.

ppeatfruit · 11/07/2017 10:26

It's not unreasonable to be upset. I would wonder if she's jealous of your children and your capability at work (you say she's been through tough times and is in therapy).

Have you talked to her about them? Sometimes people blame the very friend who has been loyal , in an odd roundabout way.

I would mention the money but go NC afterwards if she doesn't apologise.

Peanutbutterrules · 11/07/2017 10:27

Wow - how unpleasant. I'm not surprised you're fuming. Anyone who'd write that on social media is just nasty.

Go after the money, it's not like there is any reason not to...she's hardly going to be on your Xmas card list!

ppeatfruit · 11/07/2017 10:28

Cardinal We cross posted, great minds Grin

TheVanguardSix · 11/07/2017 10:28

Step away from it all. YANBU at all.
I'd let the money go as well as this is just going to open up a Pandora's box of confrontation with a damaged person. Nothing is worth that. Nothing good will come of it.
You will never get that money back. You're right about that.
I had a similar situation and someone said to me, "You've been able to live without that money. You'll be able to continue to live without it. Don't fight for it. Too draining." That approach does not apply across the board, of course. But in your case, I believe it does.
You need peace, not confrontation.
Flush out the negative. Move on. And really work on moving on and away from this relationship.

mistermagpie · 11/07/2017 10:30

I've been in a similar boat, long story but quite a lot like yours. When my friend starting having long overdue therapy (she was subsequently diagnosed with BPD if that's relevant) it caused her to start dragging up things that had happened years ago. I think it was all part of the process maybe but it meant that she started having a go at me all the time over perceived slights or differences of opinion we had, even when some of her 'evidence' for these was very odd and dated back years in some cases. She also started making digs at my 'lifestyle' (very boring such as it is, happily married, two young children, etc etc) but I think the contentment, or even just the mundanity, of my life made her feel unhappy about her own more turbulent and chaotic one.

It was a tough time and I majorly stepped back from her. I just couldn't put up with being harangued and belittled or made to feel like a bad friend when I had been nothing but supportive to her over many years.

We are still in contact but much more superficially. I mourn the loss of the friendship but she is not really the same person now unfortunately. She was never as rude or aggressive as your friend though and I think if she had been I would have ended the friendship then and there.

Lottie991 · 11/07/2017 10:32

Yanbu she sounds horrible.

Haworthy · 11/07/2017 10:33

I agree with Pop -- is there a possibility she engineered the row in order to get out of repaying you the £1000?

saoirse31 · 11/07/2017 10:34

I'd send a polite but not personal letter requesting the money back. Why should she get to not repay you? If she didn't reply in say 3 or 4 weeks I'd send a solrs letter or send letter telling her you'll be going to small claims court.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 11/07/2017 10:37

I agree with Popchyck, she has engineered this fall out, so that she can write the money off. I would pursue it.
Sounds like there is resentment or jealousy going on, which has been festering away for some time.

Clandestino · 11/07/2017 10:38

Send her a polite letter asking for the money and saying that if she doesn't pay it back, you will engage the solicitor. Other than that you were perfectly right to cut all contact, she was totally out of order and being a very nasty bitch.