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AIBU?

To just expect a bit of loyalty from friends?

72 replies

TassimoQueen · 26/02/2013 12:59

I feel I'm a good friend to my friends, and I'm very loyal. I respect decisions friends make or their opinions even though I may not necessarily agree. It'd be nice if friends could do the same for me but they clearly can't.

I have a group of 7 girl friends, and we have regular nights out and meet ups. One woman from this group, to whom I've never been particularly close, has made it plainly obvious in the past few months that she does not like me. She never replies to any contact I try to make with her, gives me the cold shoulder when we go out as a group, ignores any comments I make on her Facebook statuses and photos, and more recently when a family member of mine died she didn't make any contact to offer any support or say she was sorry to hear the news. So I decided after this not to intiate any further contact with her, and to be polite on nights out, but to class her as an aquaintance rather than a friend.

She is due to have a caesarean on Friday with her third child, and this morning another woman from this group of friends, who I do consider a good friend, has phoned me and basically had a go at me as I've not contacted this woman to wish her luck with her section. I said to my friend of course I wish this woman all the best but that she has made it clear we're not friends as such so I was just leaving things be and not making any contact. My friend is now really cross with me and says I'm bearing a grudge, when I'm not, I just don't have time chasing people who don't appreciate me and can't be bothered with me. I have all the time in the world for those that I consider a good friend and who treat me as I treat them, but haven't the time or inclination to try to please everyone.

AIBU to expect a bit of loyalty and respect from my friend?

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atthewelles · 26/02/2013 13:05

Well, I think your friend should keep her nose out and respect your wishes in regard to whether or not you want to make contact with this woman.

Why is she getting involved? Is she normally the bossy type?

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TroublesomeEx · 26/02/2013 13:06

This is why I don't bother with female friends.

All too political and everyone has an opinion!

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TassimoQueen · 26/02/2013 13:06

No not at all, atthewelles, she's normally pretty quiet. I felt like I had to explain myself to her and it made me feel like I was about 5 years old! And now she's in a mood anyway

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atthewelles · 26/02/2013 13:08

Well, YANBU. This girl has no right to force people in the group to be 'friends' on a one on one basis. In a group there are often one or two people who really only socialise together because they are part of an overall group but don't have much in common outside the group. Your friend sounds like she's being a bit childish over all of this.

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Zaphiro · 26/02/2013 13:10

It's the year 6 cloakrooms! I can see how this has escalated. The correct response to your friend would have been "oh, haven't I? Must have slipped my mind. We're not very close" then changed the subject. Now you've added fuel to the gossip and made it seem like you've thought it all through and decided to be mean in response to a perceived slight. I'd recommend staying aloof.

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TassimoQueen · 26/02/2013 13:10

Now it's left me questioning myself about whether I'm doing the right thing in just not bothering with this other woman. I don't see much point in bothering with her when she doesn't seem to like me

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everlong · 26/02/2013 13:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TassimoQueen · 26/02/2013 13:11

I need to learn more about the art of aloof-ness, Zaphiro!

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Sugarice · 26/02/2013 13:11

This friend should really mind her own business. has the pregnant friend been bitching to her about you, would you think?

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Zaphiro · 26/02/2013 13:12

Haha, you'll get there OP! YANBU for not bothering with the rubbish friend, FWIW.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 26/02/2013 13:12

I don't think you can demand that someone should behave the way you want. I see why you're calling it 'loyalty', but to her, she either didn't realize how she was behaving and is bemused at you not getting in touch, or she doesn't like you very much, in which case, there's not a lot of point pretending you get on. You're an adult, you get to choose your friends and why you'd want to pretend to get on with someone you dislike is beyond me, really.

Just get together with the ones you like and have a good time.

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TassimoQueen · 26/02/2013 13:13

I think so Sugarice. She is the kind of person that everyone runs around after, bit of a pampered princess

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popcornpaws · 26/02/2013 13:13

folkGirl
So very true!

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BodieBolts · 26/02/2013 13:15

This is why I don't bother with female friends.

What an awful view to have and so stereotypical.

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SucksToBeMe · 26/02/2013 13:16

I don't think YABU, you tried, then took a sensible step back. Has the unfriendly one moaned about you not getting in contact?

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TassimoQueen · 26/02/2013 13:20

Yes I think she must have done. The other woman, who I thought was my friend, phoned me specifically to ask why I hadn't made any contact with the woman who is having the section.

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DeWe · 26/02/2013 13:21

I agree with Zaphiro.
Slipped my mind, sounds much better than "she's nasty to me first".

But she must have said something to say how hurt/upset/surprised/pleased she is otherwise no one would know you hadn't said something personally.

I'm not sure it's about loyalty though.

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TroublesomeEx · 26/02/2013 13:21

Bodie you might think it's an awful view but it's my experience and in my experience it's true.

I know a number of women who feel the same. Funnily enough, they are the only women I'm friendly with.

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popcornpaws · 26/02/2013 13:21

bodieBolts
awful view? have you read the posts on here? Same old same old...

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TroublesomeEx · 26/02/2013 13:24

And that ^^(to popcorn's post)

MN is full of threads about women complaining about how they've been treated by their female friends.

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TroublesomeEx · 26/02/2013 13:24

Like this one for example!

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DorisIsWaiting · 26/02/2013 13:25

My guess
The unreasonable 'friend@ is stirring- You are not bothered by her cold shoulders so she is upping the ante.

There is no way anyone else would know whether you have been in touch or not. Brush it off but do not be surprised if she 'acts hurt / wounded' to others in the group and you are omitted from things if she is the focus...

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everlong · 26/02/2013 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BodieBolts · 26/02/2013 13:28

Yes I do think that's an awful view to have.

When I was 21 I went abroad to live and work for a summer. I shared a room with 2 other girls, and found out that the third girl had purposely moved out of our room because she hated girls (none of us had even met her at that point)

She then said to me "I don't like girls because they don't like me"

She really had the mentality of "you're not going to like me so I'm not going to like you first". By the time she realised that I wasn't what she expected and wanted to be friends I wasn't interested because of the way she'd treated me before.

Basically don't just assume that because someone is a woman you don't want to be friends with them because they are a bitch and will hate you.

Everyone is an individual and not just a gender.

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BodieBolts · 26/02/2013 13:29

MN is full of threads about women complaining about how they've been treated by their female friends.

Because it's a forum generally used by women.

Anyway I should stop posting because it;s detracting from the actual OP.

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