(Untitled)

[typeo_support]

Okay, Sages, I have a dilemma. I have a friend--an actual friend, not one of those hypothetical friends who's really me--anyway, I have a friend who's made a lifestyle choice. It's the way he's always felt, and he recently decided to make it official by coming out and telling people

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[his_dark_lady]

The question, being one on which she has some authority, rouses Martha out of her moping contemplation of life. "The second one. Definitely. But don't be surprised if your friend doesn't want to listen, people don't like hearing bad news and will sometimes go to the ends of the earth to avoid it."

[typeo_support]

Or the end of time?

[his_dark_lady]

"Or there," she agrees quietly, "for all the good it does."

Then she stops, thinks for a moment, and gives him a look of confusion. "Excuse me, but were you on the Valiant?"

[typeo_support]

*grin* Nope, I was on the chesterfield.

[victormakesart]

"Um. It 'pends, really. Like...on what th' choice is. I'd go with th' first."

[typeo_support]

I'll keep that in mind. That's one vote for maybe-save-him, then, and one for watch-'im-burn.

[victormakesart]

"I ain't sayin' watch-him-burn. Just that, like, if he's always been that way, th' chances of it bein' a worry are much reduced. Then 'gain, I dunno what the issue is."

[typeo_support]

That's the thing. Maybe he's always been that way, and maybe his health's always been that way. Either way, same result.

[red_head_terror]

"Is there a 'mind your own damn business' option to this question? Because I'd honestly go with that. If he wants to live however he is then damn well let him, people don't make decisions for no reason."

[typeo_support]

The first one.

[red_head_terror]

"Not exactly the answer I meant, but sure. Go with that."

[typeo_support]

Man. With friends like you, who'd need apathy?

[notyourspidey]

"I'd probably go with the second. Just sit him down, calmly show him the evidence and tell him that you support his choice if it is actually a choice and not a medical problem."

[typeo_support]

Sounds reasonable, and it's the way I'm leaning, myself. Thanks.

[prodigalsith]

Revan's been listening to the other people answer before he pipes up. "I concur with the red-head and the painter; I would leave my friend to his business. What they do with their life is their choice, not mine."

[typeo_support]

You don't think someone could make a choice without all the information, when they'd choose something different if they had the whole picture?

[prodigalsith]

"I think that telling someone that their life-choice is the result of a disease is liable to upset them and lose you a friend, not to mention make you look like a hypochondriac." He shrugs. "And presenting people with the 'whole picture' in the past has not swayed anyone I know to see as I do, and has, in fact, gotten me punched on numerous occasions."

[typeo_support]

Not that it is, that it might be. One doctor visit, and they know whether it's just a choice they made, or a symptom of something that's going to kill them. If I saw a friend drinking kool-aid spiked with arsenic, my first impulse would be to warn them about that, too.