Getting the Hint
Posted May 1st, 2003 @ 09:08pm by Erik J. Barzeski
I've recently had to say "sod off" to a certain "pal" of mine. This "pal" wrote something that upset and hurt me. Try as I might, I was unable to see what they wrote in any other way - humor, sarcasm, etc. People I've showed the writing to are appalled at what was written, the typical comment being something like "how fucking rude!" People with whom I've never even emailed have contacted me saying the same thing.
My life is about to get a lot busier. I'm taking on three new jobs, effectively, and scaling back on one, keeping a fifth at the same level, and still attempting to have a social life. I'm not mad at this person, and if I had the time or inclination, I'd most likely work through it. But I lack both the time and a reason to be so inclined, and so I've asked him to sod off.
It's interesting to me how people read "anger" into things. I "hinted" that I wished nothing to do with him, he emailed again. I hinted again, he emailed again. I said so more abruptly, he accused me of being angry. And he wants to call me egotistical? Listen, mate, if you're reading at all: I've got better things to do than get angry with you. There's far too much good in the world to let you bring me down. Of course, that doesn't mean I've got to continue being your "pal" either.
The use of "pal" throughout because privately, I reserve the word "friend" for a select few, though out of the context of discussing relationships, I use the word nearly as flippantly as everyone else. This is not one of those times.