By that, I thought, you mean I must do all of the work. I said aloud that I was skeptical about it ever happening.
"Oh but I really want to see you. We must make this happen. We'll make it a project for 2000-and-16," my friend replied.
This is a notorious no-show friend. One can invest in airline tickets, show up at vacation spots, get stuck in a blizzard on the way to a meeting only to get a extremely last minute bailing call.
To compound the irritation, the explanation is always urgent and involves me in some way.
"You'll never believe this but since you're a lawyer, I know you'll understand...,"
"Just my luck, but since you're a writer, you'll understand how this can happen,"
"I can't believe it either but since you breath air...."
I have a plan though. Once my friend sends me proof of arrival at said destination, I will dig out my suitcase, consider what I might want to pack, run a few last minute errands, ask for additional proof of arrival and then gas up the car...maybe. ;-)
An author interviewed on NPR (I don't remember who and I can't find a reference) had catapulted a recurring protagonist of his novels into the character's 60s. It was a time, the character decided to "decommission" friends who no longer "brought anything to his table" and for whom the character could offer nothing in return.
Decommission, downsize, de-friend, unlink, block, ignore... Sometimes it's just time to say "enough" and let go.
I know I'm not alone in this experience. Share your stories in the comments section below.
