People Rant About The Annoying Things Others Do While Eating Out
[rebelmouse-image 18354699 is_animated_gif=Can you chew with your mouth CLOSED, please?!
All of us have pet peeves that stress us out about others' eating habits. Sometimes, it's hard to go out to eat, even with our closest friends, because in a matter of time we will be cringing in disgust from something minor. Or the venue we've chosen has something very...off...about it.
Reddit user waldo06 asked the internet:
What is a minor thing that infuriates you when eating at a restaraunt?
Here's what people had to say.
Endless Loud Music
[rebelmouse-image 18354701 is_animated_gif=Loud live music to the point where everyone is just yelling so the music gets louder and everyone gets louder and it just doesn't stop... help me...
Pepper Control
[rebelmouse-image 18354702 is_animated_gif=I just want control over the pepper grinder, instead of having someone come and pepper my food for me. I won't f-ck it up if I do it myself, honestly.
I Don't Want No Sweeps
[rebelmouse-image 18354703 is_animated_gif=Sweeping under my table while I'm eating. I was raised in a restaurant family, and generally, sweeping during meal service is frowned upon as it can cloud up the air with dust and unwanted scents. Large pieces of food / small messes usually get a quick spot-sweep. But this restaurant I eat at every now and then has their hostess constantly sweeping when she isn't seating a table, which means she's often looking for something to sweep and it almost always includes having a broom under my table going across the top of my shoe. It's baffling. Rant over.
Let Me Eat In Peace!
[rebelmouse-image 18354704 is_animated_gif=When the restaurant is very quiet and manager is oblivious to your social cues and just won't stop talking to you and just let you enjoy your meal. I like a bit of banter just as much as the next person but if you come to a restaurant with your other half to spend some quality time, there is a limit. (To be fair this has only been extreme enough to be annoying to me on one occasion)
The Waiting
[rebelmouse-image 18354705 is_animated_gif=Have a restaurant here in my town that is always crowded and usually has a wait to be seated. Apparently the owner lost it the other day because people were standing around waiting to be seated because they have no bar area or a place to sit while waiting for their table. He started yelling at the customers to get out of the way and go wait in their cars. If you are yelling at me and basically telling me to go sit in my car then I'm leaving and not coming back.
Cuttin' The Meat
[rebelmouse-image 18354706 is_animated_gif=Sh-tty knives. I was at the Weber grill and ordered a steak and it was delicious however the steak knives they had might as well have been a butter knife, it just made my initial impression of the tenderness/toughness of the steak all wrong. It happens all the time too I'm just so used to easily slicing into a steak or any other meat at home with nice knives that when the knife is tearing the meat more than slicing it it just feels off like it's a lower quality cut that I'm paying 3x the cost of what I do at home. I've honestly debated bringing in my own knife to places like that but I don't want to be that guy.
Can't...Reach...
[rebelmouse-image 18354707 is_animated_gif=Went to a restaurant with booth seating and the table was just a bit too far from the benches. I barely remember the quality of the food because I just remember being annoyed at how awkward it was eating there.
Neglect
[rebelmouse-image 18354708 is_animated_gif=When people let their children run around the restaurant. Not only is it annoying, but your child could get seriously injured by hot coffee, heavy plates, etc.
I Can't Believe It IS Butter
[rebelmouse-image 18354709 is_animated_gif=Cold, impossible to spread butter.
Chew And Screw
[rebelmouse-image 18354710 is_animated_gif=Waiting a long time for the bill. I just want to pay and leave.
Planet Mess
[rebelmouse-image 18354713 is_animated_gif=We went to Planet Hollywood in Amsterdam once (in our defense, we were living in Holland, so it wasn't like we were being tourists and ignoring better local places, but it was new and we'd never been there, so...)
They ignored us after getting our drink order and we had to get up and ask a few times for just basic attention, finally got some drinks, ordered food that never got there, left. Suuuuucked.
I think they were later taken over by squatting anarchists or something. Fair.
Can't Fit
[rebelmouse-image 18351355 is_animated_gif=When there's so much stuff on the table that you don't have room for your plate comfortably. I don't need a dessert menu, drink menu, regular menu, basket of bread, salt and pepper, condiments, menu of the days specials, silverware, candles, what ever else on a two person table. I can't move.
Overcompensation
[rebelmouse-image 18352416 is_animated_gif=Seating that is obscured from the waiting staff view. They either forget you exists or compensate by asking you 12 times during dinner if the food is okay.
Embarrassing Friends
[rebelmouse-image 18354714 is_animated_gif=When someone in your party has to complain about everything, and additionally make everyone else feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
I get that you expect to have a good experience when you go to a restaurant, but if you have poor service or an issue with the food you ordered, be polite and patient about it. You'll get a better outcome from the staff when they try to fix it.
It's Called An "Appetizer"
[rebelmouse-image 18354715 is_animated_gif=If I order an appetizer and it comes out a minute before the entree. Or at the same time. Or worst, after.
Surrounded By Idiots
[rebelmouse-image 18354716 is_animated_gif=Having a ridiculously loud table nearby. If you all turned it down 14 notches you'd be able to hear each other and the rest of the restaurant wouldn't.
Long gaps between courses.
Someone at my table eating noisily (bonus points if they have their mouth open).
Wait
[rebelmouse-image 18350535 is_animated_gif=I don't mind waiting when it's a busy night but it gets under my skin when people walk in and ask for a wait time then get all mad at the person like it's their fault. No, you came in at 8 on a Saturday night and no matter where you go there will be a wait.
Natural Selection
[rebelmouse-image 18354717 is_animated_gif=Let me preface this by saying I live in Florida. I hate how the retirees ruin the service in restaurants around retirement areas. The restaurant will start out OK, but the continuous flow of crabby, cheap old people will run out any good waitstaff and they will all be replaced by second stringers who can't hack it elsewhere. So, in certain areas, THE SERVICE SUCKS EVERYWHERE.
Be A Friend To The Water
[rebelmouse-image 18354719 is_animated_gif=When the amount of water is not proportional to the amount of people and it takes a while to get a refill, seriously all I want is a glass of water.
Waiter Input
[rebelmouse-image 18354720 is_animated_gif=I had a waiter judge me for ordering a medium rare burger. He then told me how unhealthy it was to eat red meat.
Dude. Do you think I want a meal that's going to add ten years to my life? I don't eat out for a eat healthy. I eat out because I want too enjoy myself. Everything in moderation.
He also asked us to tip generously.
Insta-Slam
[rebelmouse-image 18354721 is_animated_gif=I don't mind if you have to Instagram your meal, but shut the damn flash off, especially if you're going to need about 30 practice photos first.
I'd Like A Button Please
[rebelmouse-image 18354722 is_animated_gif=Waiters walking up and bothering you every 2 minutes - asking how things are or trying to start conversations while you have a mouthful of food. After traveling over seas I was entranced by Korea where every table has a button; you push it and the waiter comes. Other than that they completely leave you alone. Every restaurant in America needs these.
Being Ignored
[rebelmouse-image 18354723 is_animated_gif=Not getting served. Twice now I've gone to restaurants and after being sat down the server never came back.
One time after seeing the people who came in after us eating while we had yet to get our water, we had time to fill out Google reviews before walking out. The owner kept giving our table weird looks the whole time.
Ridiculous Ways Straight Guys Have Tried To Hit On Lesbians
"Reddit user AdOk3759 asked: 'Lesbians of Reddit, what’s the most ridiculous thing a straight guy told you to talk you into having sex with them?'"
Men and women and talking and flirting.
What a disaster that can be.
It's especially tricky when men flirt with women who are into women.
It sounds like a lot of gents can't take that obvious hint.
How this is STILL an issue in 2023 is beyond us all.
But here we are.
Gentlemen, please sit and read the following.
And then read it again.
Then share with your friends and male family.
A deleted Redditor wanted to hear about the ways straight men couldn't take a hint, so they asked:
"Lesbians of Reddit, what’s the most ridiculous thing a straight guy told you to talk you into having sex with them?"
How Patriotic
"I had a guy try to entice me with his weed. He literally pulled out the American flag bong with the grinder that looked like ammunition. Honestly left me kinda speechless."
xSwishyy
A Transplant
"Didn't go as far as sex but was definitely the most ridiculous thing a straight guy has said to me so far. I was trying to check out at the store when the 60-something y/o cashier started flirting with me, asking if I had a boyfriend, etc. When he asked why I didn't I told him I'm a lesbian and he said 'I actually have a female kidney from my transplant a couple years ago so we wouldn't have a problem together.'"
BestiesWithBaphomet
Me Too!
"The opposite - a very drunk man approached me on a station platform and asked me out. I awkwardly replied, 'Sorry, I’m gay.' He said, 'You like women??' and I nodded, bracing for homophobia… but instead he just excitedly exclaimed 'ME TOO!!!' and shook my hand. Then he left me alone. It was an extremely funny and non-threatening interaction and I think fondly of him from time to time."
orangepigeon
Let's Dance
"My brother was absolutely refusing to take no for an answer when asking [my friend] to prom. I think my brother asked my friend to prom like 5 times before they just started ignoring him. I also told off my brother cause my friend is open about being a lesbian and told him that they were a lesbian. Something about not having a lesbian somehow makes guys angry because they can't take no for an answer."
pumpkinthighs
Can men really be this off?
Oh the Drama
Feeling It Drama Club GIF by NickelodeonGiphy"He said that I had no idea what it's like to be the single straight guy who tries to find (sex) love. And it's cruel for me to not give him even a chance to be romantic with me. And I don't have a good reason to say no because he is good-looking and earns more money than I do lol."
Original-Pineapple18
DIBS
"This guy was one of my closer friends at the time, and SOLIDLY friend-zoned. We’d established countless times over the last year that we weren’t into each other, I was lesbian, and that even if I weren’t he wouldn’t go for me, yada yada. We’d talked about things that I would NOT have discussed if I knew he would ever be into me."
"Well lo and behold, one day I realize I’m questioning whether I’m bisexual or not due to a mutual friend. I bring it up to him in a state of real vulnerability, cuz I thought I’d had everything figured out before this, but wanted my friend’s input on if it was a good idea to bring it up to hot-dude directly."
"This grown-a** man told me HE HAD DIBS. D I B S."
Kazooasaurus
Preferences
"Not a lesbian, but I’m bi with a pretty strong preference for women. Probably THE most common response from guys when I say I’m not interested in 'Really? I dunno, you don’t look like you date girls.' I never know how to respond. Do they expect me to suddenly realize I’m NOT into women? Do they think questioning my preferences is endearing or sexy??"
Individual_Ad_7523
So Sexy
Ryan Reynolds GIF by CBCGiphy"Always the standard idea of they think their penis is magical and can 'turn' me. Uh, no. Also, have had more than a few guys say 'You're too attractive' to be a lesbian. They actually think it's a compliment. Oof."
Goody2Shuuz
Listen to someone's boundaries when they tell you, gentleman!
It's really that simple.
Does anyone have any similar stories? Let us know in the comments below.
As a society, we have made this general correlation that spending more means receiving a higher-quality item.
But sometimes we need to remember that affordable purchases are totally worth our time, and sometimes those purchases prove to be the true game-changers.
Redditor degenerateunicorn asked:
"What inexpensive purchase improved your life greatly?"
Long Charging Cables
"For once and for all, it's a ten-foot charging cable for your phone!"
- usuperavenger
"Not just one... but one for each room you regularly charge your phone. A 10-footer in the bedroom and a 10-footer in the loungeroom, changed my life."
- lhsofthebellcurve
Good Earplugs
"Earplugs. Just pop those in your ears and shut the world out."
- lapsangsouchogn
"I bought some to help me sleep and oh. my. god. I sat on this brilliant idea for seven years. I feel so ashamed of myself."
- DidDunMegasploded
A Library Card
"Does a library card count?"
- Lookimawave
"I'd say so! There's just so much you can do at local libraries! Especially in the bigger cities. The things they have to lend out are really interesting and definitely not just books!"
- appleparkfive
"I hardly ever even go into the physical library, but the card gives me access to e-books, audiobooks, and movies via Libby, Hoopla, Overdrive, and Canopy. Although the physical library does have neat resources like 3D printers, laser cutters, a recording studio, etc."
- Lookimawave
An Electric Toothbrush
"Electric toothbrush!"
- imvital
"Does it make a big difference? Lifelong manual toothbrush user, but I've been considering converting if it's worth it."
- ILoveLamp_1995
"A few years back I needed to get a new toothbrush and the cheapest in the store was a battery-powered electric. I thought why not and tried it out."
"My next dentist visit showed a marked improvement with just that cheap, crappy brush."
"I bought an Oral-B electric brush (with bluetooth!) right there in the dentist's office. Since then, my dentist checkups have just been a bit of scraping, with very little if any bleeding. Definitely worth it."
- nabrok
A Jogging Phone Holder
"A shoulder holster for my phone when I started to run again. It was the running that changed my life obviously, but having my phone within Bluetooth range for music made it achievable. Cost me all of seven dollars."
- EveryonesADose
More Pillows
"I got myself a third pillow last year. I don't know what it is about it but definitely has made sleeping better."
- potatosalade26
A Roomba or Equivalent
"Not necessarily cheap, but a Roomba. Now I HAVE to keep my place clean and decluttered so it can work. No more piles of laundry and whatnots."
- Pale-Dust2239
"There are cheaper ones out there and if you decide to give them a go 100% pay for the extended warranty."
"I got a Eufy which we love but have had it replaced twice in three years for free. Next time it dies we’ll be out of warranty so hopefully I can get enough cash together for a Roomba."
- MissingVanSushi
A Swiss Army Knife
"I got it as a gift but a basic Swiss Army knife. It fits in my pocket, and gives me a crappy screwdriver, bottle opener, tweezers, etc., in a pinch. It also doesn’t freak people out like other pocket knives."
- Mrofcourse
A Meat Thermometer
"A meat thermometer takes the guesswork and worry out of internal temps."
- 9umopapisdn
"Oh my god, do you have a Meater? My husband says it’s the best gift I’ve ever given him. It’s a meat thermometer that connects to your phone."
- degenerateunicorn
A Bidet
"A bidet."
- art8127
"Yes! It costs thirty dollars, and even a doofus like me was able to 'install' it in under 10 minutes."
- poppy-sparklehorse
A Sleep Mask
"A proper sleep mask."
"They're not too expensive. I wrap it around one of those microwavable bean bags shortly before bed and it becomes a warm mask for falling asleep. Super comfortable."
- zomboromcom
"I agree, mine was a great purchase. Not only does it help me sleep in later, but putting it on has now become the signal to my body that it's time to sleep."
- sedimentary-1
Glass Lens Cloth
"Glasses cleaner cloth. Such a little soft piece of cloth saves me from the frustration of constant smears, smudges, possible scratches, and ruining the anti-glare layer on my glasses. I hate looking out of dirty glasses."
- agbmom
A Bicycle
"I bought a second-hand bike for $60 back in the autumn of 2020. I took to cycling, and because of that, I lost 35lbs (but put 20 back on), it renewed my sex life with my husband and I feel healthier. It’s very calming (it’s a multi-use trail, so no vehicles and it’s flat and maintained)."
"I have some wonderful folks I talk to every time I go out and dogs I get to give treats to. I go out any morning I can Spring/Summer/Autumn for between 90 minutes to two hours, as long as it isn’t raining or too windy… I’ll even go out when it’s below 0°C. I’m early retired, so I have plenty of time."
- NickNNS
A Wet Pallet for Painting
"My homemade wet pallet. Leftover scrap container, some sponge, parchment paper, and a little water, and boom. Perfectly thinned acrylic paint and blending surface. It was a game changer for me as an artist."
- Adubya76
A Backscratcher
"A one-dollar backscratcher!"
- LazyHighGoals
"I keep a backscratcher on my nightstand, and now I don’t know how I lived without it."
- wholewheatscythe
Each of these purchases are items that we could not only see purchasing ourselves, but we can totally understand how these were life-changing for these Redditors, despite the price of the purchases. Sometimes the most life-changing things have the smallest price tags!
Getting a job may be difficult, but believe it or not, it's allegedly harder to get fired from jobs.
Employees have to seriously be incapable of doing the job they were hired for, or they must be so miserable after realizing the job description was not what they signed up for that they deliberately jeopardize their position just to be shown the door.
Strangers online were happy to provide examples of terminated coworkers when Redditor Business_Reporter420 asked:
"What’s the fastest way you’ve ever seen a new coworker get fired?"
The couple times deserve the benefit of a doubt.
And then there are the other times after that...
Losing Track Of Time
"6 hours. Call center job. She showed up to orientation on day 1 about an hour late. Hey stuff happens. Then we go on a 15 min break. She goes out to take a phone call, comes back in after about 45 min. We go to lunch, it's 30 minutes. She comes back over an hour later. We go on afternoon break, when the 15 min break is up, one of the trainers gets up and steps out in the hall and closes the door behind him. We hear her arrive and argue with him about 20 minutes after that. He comes back in and gets the stuff she left at her desk and we never see her again."
– misoranomegami
A String Of Unfortunate Events
"First day, her grandmother died. Understandable. Second day, her car broke down. Bad luck. Third day she had no electricity and couldn’t blow dry her hair. She was told not to bother coming in at all."
– exitzero
The Employee On Her Own Schedule
"There are a lot of these people. What do they think is going to happen, like they'll come in to work eventually, everyone will understand, and they'll be a great employee... tomorrow though. Today they're hungover."
"I fired a girl like this... she acted gobsmacked 'wow, gosh, really? This is kinda crazy, i've never been fired before.'"
"She showed up for about 50% of her scheduled days for like 2 straight weeks. Did she really think that was how jobs work?"
– Steinmetal4
Downfall Of Mass Hiring
"Worked for startups the past couple of years before I recently took a new gig but we had to hire about 100 people in the span of 2 weeks which I told my boss was a bad idea but the CEO insisted"
"Hired a young lady, she had a spotty resume but was very cheerful and friendly in the interview and my boss's instructions were if they are nice and friendly 'pass them on to me.'"
"we oversaw the customer service relations for this company."
"On her first day she came in 15 minutes late, got into an argument with a customer on her first training call and took the mic and farted into it as loud as I've ever heard a human being fart"
"We paid her for the full day."
"Best hire ever."
– _Nolofinwe_
Some people were never a fit for the job.
Fear Gets In The Way
"I was working as a stable boy, and I was showing the new girl around the stables. As I introduced her to the horses, she was very apprehensive to come near them, refusing to even step into the stall (she signed on to help care for the horses.)"
"Later that day, she admitted that the horses terrified her, so the boss let her go."
– AlternativeFilm8886
The Sibling Discount
"In high school I worked at a clothing store as a cashier. Guy next to me has his sister come through with a huge pile of merchandise."
"He scans one item that was on clearance for like $2 over and over again for everything she had, which was likely hundreds of dollars."
"Didn’t realize the manager was standing right behind him."
“Go clock out and give me your name tag, you’re gone.”
"He didn’t argue or anything, just put his head down and walked off."
"The manager jumps on the register to clear the transaction out and the sister takes out her card, 'This is gonna be a credit.'”
"Manager says 'Not for $2 it’s not, get out of here.'”
"The sister actually tried to complete the purchase like nothing had happened lol"
– Plantayne
Gamer On The Clock
"A guy at my work was caught playing World of Warcraft for hours each day. Boss called him in and told him that was wholly unacceptable and he had to stop immediately or he'd be canned."
"Less than an hour later, IT calls the same boss and says the guy is back in his office playing again. He was let go that day."
– jpiro
Rule Breaker
"Worked in a sales call center about 10 years ago, real braindead work. New guy starts on a Monday morning, after he gets trained up on the basics (which takes about an hour), he gets assigned a desk and sets off to work."
"30 minutes later, it looks like little puffs of steam are rising up from his computer monitor. Turns out he was vaping on one of those disposable ecigarettes, the kind that sort of tried to look like real cigarettes. He gets told by the boss that we can't vape indoors, and if he wants to, he'll have to go outside to do it on a break."
"About 30 minutes later again, the same thing happens. He gets caught again, and is told in no uncertain terms that if he wants to keep his job, he'll stop vaping at his desk."
"An hour later, he gets caught hiding under his desk vaping, and is promptly fired, all before lunch time. Dude could have just gone outside."
– Mr_Itch
First And Final Delivery
"Day 1, delivering pizzas. I was the trainer."
"Dude wasn't familiar with the town at all (this was before GPS was a thing)."
"Second delivery, he gets in the car, and proceeds to floor it in the parking lot, showing off all 80 horsepower for the 30 feet before slamming on the brakes to turn onto the main street, nearly hitting a customer and her young child."
"I say whoah, slow down in the Parking lot, you almost hit that kid."
"'F'k em' was his response."
"That was his last delivery, lasted all of about 90 minutes."
– talontd92tsi
The easiest way for a worker to get off the payroll is for them to actually quit.
Misunderstanding Of A Job Position
"I used to work night audit/front desk at a motel adjacent to major highways. It was a super chill job, I loved my boss, and it was cool by me."
"But God, trying to hire and train someone to take over my hours - once for maternity leave, and then when I was moving away - was a nightmare. One lady claimed to be computer literate, and then tried to use the mouse to physically touch the correct spot on the monitor when I asked her to click on a field. Another got extremely confused when I mentioned that sleeping with a guest was completely out of bounds. A guy got arrested (and fired of course) for selling drugs to someone out the night window. It was just an absolute sh*t show."
"Before I moved, I gave my boss a 2-month notice, because I knew hiring and training was gonna be a nightmare. About a week before my final shift, we finally got someone in place. She was more than a bit strange and could certainly have used a spot of mental health care, but hey, I can't throw stones. She showed up, grasped the basics of the job, etc. About a week after I left, I learned that she had quit because she didn't realize that night audit was a purely overnight job."
"Idk."
– 50EffingCabbages
The Newbie's Assigned Task
"He didn’t get fired, he quit. But this dude was a first day hire as a bagger at a grocery store. Some dude blew up the entire bathroom with diarrhea. Walls, doors, sink, mirror, everywhere. They asked new dude to go clean it. He clocked out and never came back. He’s a hero."
– mrmastomas
I briefly worked for an entertainment company as a dancer with a friend of mine who was unfortunately let go during the rehearsal process.
He was unable to keep up with the demanding rehearsal schedule and couldn't retain the mass amount of choreography we were being taught in a short amount of time.
Poor guy wasn't even a slacker. As a matter of fact, he far exceeded my dancing capabilities and was hard-working, but he let himself get in the way and couldn't handle the pressure.
But by letting him go, the production company took a hit because teaching a new-hire everything from the beginning slowed us down more than the time it would've taken to help my friend memorize the choreography.
Sigh...
Some people remain best friends with the same friends they made in preschool, or earlier.
Other friendships fade away, as people move on with their lives and lose touch.
But even if these people don't see each other as often as they once did, they would still likely consider themselves "friends", and would be happy should their paths ever cross again.
There are some friendships, however, which do not stand the test of time.
What's more, in some extreme cases, these friendships ended because of a very pointed decision by one or more people.
What some might even consider a "breakup."
"Have you ever 'broken up' with a friend? Why, and what was the aftermath?"
Not The People They Once Were
"I stopped hanging out with all my friends because they all changed."
"They were nothing like how they were when I met them."
"I looked at them as my brothers but they've become what we all swore to never become and dragged me into it."
"Nothing but doing drugs, selling drugs, robbing people."
"I just decided to walk away before I became exactly like them and moved on with my life."
"I wish they could be how they once were but I know that isn't gonna happen."- SuddenCheesecake3273
Lack Of Reciprocity
"Yeah I realized my 'Treat others the way you want to be treated' approach was one-sided."
"I helped someone through some real rough patches, and when I went through some dark times they were nowhere to be seen."- fuifui_bradbrad
"Pretty much all of my high school friends and some other friends I met through work or mutual friends."
"I kept feeling like it was a 'one way' friendship."
"I would be the one texting them to hang out but I would never get texts from them to hang out."- GoldenGod48
Unervalued
"I recently cut off my childhood best friend because he views me as an ATM."
"I don't care about money."
"If I can help someone out, I will with 0 hesitation, but I refuse to be taken advantage of."
"My breaking point was when he was finalizing his wedding party and told me that I was a backup groomsmen in case anyone cancels."
"We've known each other since we were 10 years old and have always kept contact even when he moved away, but I'm not important enough to be one of the first people considered to be there."
"During that same conversation, he said that he'd still expect me to attend and hinted at wanting a cash gift from me."
"We haven't spoken in a couple of months, and I hope that trend continues for the foreseeable future."- morganfreenomorph
No Room For Negativity
"Had a buddy in school who was a really nice guy but the absolute most negative person ever."
"Everything was bad and awful, never ever stopped complaining."
"Walked into the library - too cold, walked outside, too hot, standing in the atrium - windows 15 feet up were dusty, lights inside were too blue but the wooden desks made things too yellow."
"Never stopped."
"School was stressful enough and eventually I changed my study group and location so I want around him and I just felt a whole lot better and light and happy."
"Sometimes you have to be selfish and say that if things/people aren’t making your life better, cut them out."- Dr_D-R-E
Manipulative Influence
"Man I'd called my brother since we were 5 (we're 28 now)."
"He was one of the cool kids and stayed my friend (the socially awkward weird kid)."
"Joined the marines after school, came home, and met a girl who had a kid."
"We drifted apart here and there from 21-25 but still kept contact and hung out once in a blue moon."
"I asked him to be my best man."
"He obviously said yes."
"His S/O didn't like me."
"At the time, I didn't know why."
"My wedding starts to near, i text him telling him we REAAALLLY need to go get fitted for tuxes, get a text a day or so later essentially saying he was out because of xyz."
"This was very out of character for him."
"Time passes."
"My wife and I celebrated our 1st anniversary."
"I'm outside doing stuff in the driveway, a guy that i don't even recognize walks up."
"It's him."
"We talk for a minute, and he starts breaking down, grabbing him, and we go inside."
"We talked for a while. In short he was at a mental breaking point, constantly manipulated by his now fiancé, wont let him get a job because 'she needed him at home to help her anxiety'."
"I offered him an out, gave him a place to stay as long as he needed and gave him a vehicle to drive in the mean time."
"Offered to get him a job with a good friend of mine."
"He stayed with me for a couple of days, his SO shut his debit card off, shut his phone service off, etc."
"But she would turn his phone back on to torment him."
"He came and went from my place a couple of times over those next couple of months."
"But he was stuck in an abusive relationship."
"He kept going back to his abuser."
"Telling me shed claim I did all sorts of stuff."
"Then i came home, and he and his stuff were gone."
"I texted him a day or two later, just saying, 'You good buddy?'"
"Got a text back saying how 'he couldn't hang out with me anymore and didn't like how we talked about SO when we were together, and how awful it was that we would ever do that'."
"This was written by his SO without a shred of doubt."
"The last thing I texted him was 'I don't know if i believe all that based on our conversations, but like I've said 100 times, I just want you happy and healthy if thats what it takes, then thats what it takes, you know where I'm at if you need anything, love ya dude'."
"If you're out there brother, if you read this, I miss the f*ck out of you."
"I worry about you regularly."
"Stop by, please."
"F*ck you Kaitlyn, i wish nothing but the worst for you."
"You're a shrewd cold woman and do not deserve the man or the perfect life you plaster on social media."- Theebalz106
Who Was Bringing Who Down?
"Had a buddy who was hanging out with some guys at coffee shops and they'd discuss philosophy, poetry and current events (we were in our late 20s)."
'At any rate one day he gets a call from one of the guys and my buddy asks me to go with him and we'll grab a bite afterwards."
"So we walk in and the guy is seated in a chair facing the couch."
"I jokingly asked if this was an intervention."
"Guy proceeded to tell my friend that they could no longer be friends because he needs people who will elevate him."
"In the midst of this very snarky monologue my friend looks at me and smiles awkwardly and was like 'you hungry?'"
"We stand up and leave."
"My friend is a now a c-suite employee and that guy who 'broke up' with him is still working a min wage job, been married several times and is barely holding his life together."
"Was just so...random."
"I can still remember the room and what we were wearing and the look on my friend's face when he realized what was happening and we left."- Ok-Bus1716
Friend, Not Servant
"My dear friend dumped me because I couldn’t do her anymore favors."
"She pushed off my visit a couple of times so I just quit trying."
"I almost lost my job because I had to pick up her daughter from school."
"I told her I couldn’t do it anymore."
"Kind of relieved because I was tired of always doing favors."- GingerJanMarie
Sadly Inevitable
"I got into a fight (over text) with a friend whom I had been walking on eggshells around for years."
"Unfortunately my best was involved because she was a part of the group message."
"My best friend didn’t talk to me for months."
"It broke my heart."
"The other friend as soon as I cussed her out and blocked her I felt a weight lift from my shoulders."
"My best friend eventually started talking to me again."
"So a happy ending."- Lazy_Enthusiasm25
"Best friends from elementary school through college (my college not hers)."
"Found out in college that she was lying about things to take advantage of me financially."
"My grandparents had left me some money that should have paid for my entire college including living expenses."
"Instead I worked through college and lived with my parents and also took out student loans."
"For instance I paid her rent for an entire year before she got evicted anyway because she was blowing the money I gave her on random stuff."
"While I was helping her clear her stuff out before they changed the locks I overheard her parents comment about how they had been paying her rent this entire time too."
"Or once she came to borrow money from me at work saying she bounced a check at her job and she was going to fired unless she paid it back."
"I got off work to a message from another mutual friend saying that they had gone to the movies and seen something we'd planned to watch together then clothes shopping but we could go see something else that weekend."
"She never did cover the bounced check and did lose her job and get a warrant out for her arrest."
"It wasn't just me it was everybody she did this to."
"Like at one point, she lived with her mom who was supporting her 3 siblings, and took the mom's car overnight and used an entire tank of gas to drive to another town to go clubbing, and the mother had to beg a neighbor for enough gas money to get to work."
"She also dropped out of college the first week of the first semester but never formally withdrew so her parents were still on the hook for the entire semester of fees, and she had a 0 GPA."
"I finally told her that I wouldn't give her any more money or pay for her when we went places."
"If she wanted to be friends, she needed to pull her own weight."
"Shortly before the fallout, I'd introduced her to my cousin who was bemoaning his religious gf's unwillingness to 'put out'."
"Within 2 weeks she slept with my cousin then told him she was pregnant and he needed to do the right thing and marry her."
"Once he told his parents they were engaged she told him that she lost the pregnancy but he couldn't call off the engagement without telling his super religious parents that the whole thing was because of a pregnancy scare."
"They did end up getting married."
"She talked him into enlisting in the military since she had previously commented about how unfair it is military wives don't have to work, that supporting their husbands is their only job."
"They've had 3 kids she does nothing for, her mother moved in to take care of them for her and his parents supplement his income so they can afford housing."
"She hasn't held a steady job since they've been together."
"So I've been avoiding him and her both for 15 years and get all the drama second hand from our mutual cousins (and his sister) who all hate her!"- misoranomegami
A friend is someone who is always there for you, and who you'll always be there for in return.
Any friend, however, who only brings you down is not a friend at all.
And sometimes, the only way to forgive and move on, is to let go.