I’m having lunch this afternoon with a friend that I haven’t seen in almost a year. For one reason or another, (Steve and I were never sure what it was...) we stopped hearing from him after he got involved with a new relationship last spring.
Now I know that there can be all kinds of reasons for that, but it’s always bothered me when a friend just drops off the face of the earth with no explanation. Was it something we said? Were we not “A-List” enough for you? Did you end up in a coma, unable to return a phone call? Well, whatever, I’m sure I’ll get some kind of a reason for his silence and absence, and now that that relationship is over, (Which I am truly sorry to hear...) an effort will be made to renew the friendship.
But I wonder: When the next relationship rolls around, will this person disappear again? Or will he finally realize that the friends you have are the people that stick around, and go out to lunch even after not hearing from you in almost a year?
Time will tell.
UPDATE
Yes, there were reasons, yes, they were good ones. And it was good to see this person again. (And the sushi we had for lunch was good too. )