With friends like these...

Totally OT rant... this is a personal issue, not a writing one.

I had a friend in college. We stayed in touch, and when I moved to this area (where she also lives), I began calling her on a semi-regular basis. For a while we got together regularly, then we stopped getting together and I noticed I was always the one calling. Being sensitive about that kind of thing (I hate to imagine the person on the other end of the line rolling her eyes and thinking, "Oh, God, it's her again"), I quit calling, and sure enough, she never called. Ever. For several years. I didn't even get a Christmas card from her last year. Which was perfectly okay... I understand that people grow apart. Sad, but true.

Then yesterday, I got a postcard in the mail from her. I was pleased to see her name on the return address, so I picked it up with some interest... to discover that she was inviting me to one of those product parties. You know, like a Tupperware party. Um, gee. So I'm not good enough for her to bother picking up the phone and calling for several years, but my presence is desired when she's trying to make money? How very flattering. She'd even highlighted "RSVP," like I might forget to call. And yeah, I probably will forget. Almost certainly, in fact. She hasn't remembered to call for years, after all.

I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling pretty p*ssed off, and I'm still kind of aggravated. I'd love to hear from an old friend, but not when she simply wants me to fatten the guest list at a product party. Sigh...