Blindsided
To the surprise of no one, I went to the wedding Saturday. Great ceremony, very touching, etc., and I was genuinely enjoying myself until about two-thirds the way through the evening. I got some information regarding a person to whom I used to consider my closest friend. How many times have I stood up to for this person, explaining away their behavior to smooth out the rough spots with my group? Only to be treated THIS cheaply? It all happened on Saturday, and I am still about twenty shades of pissed off.
Backstory:
Names have been changed to cover my ass.
Person wanted an excuse to get dressed up, go out, and have fun. They hadn't really done so in a while, and saw an opportunity in Raul's wedding. It would also be a great opportunity to spend some time with me, as they hadn't seen me in about 3-ish months. Person knows that Wedding Attendant doesn't have a date, and being the gentleperson that Wedding Attendant is, when Person asked Wedding Attendant if they had a date, Wedding Attendant said no, and invited Person. Poor Wedding Attendant was backed into a corner, they won't lie and get caught right away, and how could they get out of this otherwise? Person had essentially invited themself to the wedding.
As I stated earlier, I had considered Person to be one of my closest friends, but this action really ticked me off. Granted, I was excited at the prospect of seeing them, but inviting one's self is still rude and irksome, so I brushed off the negative and tried to look at the positive. (Sweetcheeks, as an aside, was quite pissed that Person did this, and now I owe apologies to Sweetcheeks for not heeding his observations and advice.)
So I got a phone call from Person on Friday, saying they can't make it to the wedding. Their place of occupation had allegedly scheduled a mandatory meeting for all personnel that are in charge of the summer vacation program, which of course, Person is a part. They said, "I'm sorry, but they are horrible about telling me these things. They told me about it only yesterday, and they made the decision ages ago." I sympathized with employers sucking at keeping underlings informed about events they are meant to attend, and expressed my dismay that we wouldn't be able to visit. I asked if they had advised Wedding Attendant to the situation, they replied no, and I urged that a prompt notification transpire. This is the last I spoke to Person.
I'm at the wedding, and I see Wedding Attendant. I haven't seen Wedding Attendant since January, so I was elated, giving the appropriate squeals of joy, hugs, and pecks to the cheek. I apologized on behalf of Person not being able to attend, employers suck, you know how it goes. Wedding Attendant looks at me with a shocked expression and says, "So you don't know. I was stood up!"
"WHAT?!"
As it turns out, Person didn't have the courtesy, let alone the courage to inform Wedding Attendant that they would be absent. Wedding Attendant had text messaged Person to let them know that they (W.A.) was going to be making a back and forth trip to the wedding site, and that Person will be picked up tomorrow morning, no need to worry about being carted along and being tired the next day. Wedding Attendant didn't hear from Person at all, so Wedding Attendant calls Person. Person says, "Oh, I texted you that I won't be there. I am on my way to Tampa to spend the weekend with my Significant Other. I called into work and told my boss that I won't be there tomorrow, that I had already made plans that couldn't be broken, and they should have told me about the mandatory meeting sooner."
I looked over at Sweetcheeks, who started to stroke my back to try and calm me down. I was holding my breath so I didn't have another outburst, and my buddy Dan ran to grab me a drink. I got up, went outside, and sat on the steps for the remainder of the evening. I was so pissed I couldn't handle the large crowd. At almost ten o'clock (evening), Sweetcheeks came and got me so we could go home. In the car he asked if I was okay.
He spent the next two hours of the drive home hearing me scream, and I mean scream about how completely pissed this made me. He concurred, and added he was pissed at Person not just for this, but also because they had cost him and his friends the company of his girlfriend.
It's Monday, and the rage, yes, rage, hasn't worn off any. Person's actions really went up my ass sideways. I understand wanting to see your Significant Other, especially when you won't see them for a month. But you chose Significant Other over your best friend who got you two together. You invited yourself to a wedding, don't show up, and you were inconsiderate to Wedding Attendant, who I protect as if they were my blood. AND YOU LIED TO ME. That, my friends, is enough to expel you from my life.
I have deleted Person's information from my instant messenger, email, and my cell phone. Person, and you know who you are, should you happen upon my journal, now you know why I did not answer my phone when you called this morning. I do not have time in my life for people as self-absorbed as you. The actions you took this past weekend, compounded by your inconsiderate and neglectful actions when I went in for the procedure a week ago, AND the fact I stood up for you when people were skeptical and apprehensive about your actions...I can't believe you repay me in this manner. Sweetcheeks and so many others were right about you, and I wanted to believe that you still had some redeeming value. Thanks for proving me wrong in such a sweeping, humiliating manner. I'll get over this and move on. Have a great life, I know mine will be better without a waste of a genetics such as you in it.