To a self-centered friend
by Tina H.
There is somebody in my crowd of friends (I'm not saying who) who seriously needs to get over herself. Maybe you have a friend like this in your crowd. She always interrupts you or your other friends as though what she has to say is more important. Her life is always more dramatic than anyone else's. Her problems are big, and count, while yours can be dismissed with fake sincerity.
This "friend" is also a blabbermouth and a gossip. She manages to spread every bit of news far and wide-- and never bothers to find out if any of it is true. She likes to shock you. She needs to be outrageous even if it means telling lies or spreading gossip.
This "friend" never really hears a word you say to her. She expects and demands that you know and rememeber every detail of every story she tells you, yet she never seems to recall anything you've ever told her. Partially because she wasn't ever listening, partially because she's interrrupted you so often that she never got the whole story. The only time she listens to what you say is when you are agreeing with her or exclaiming with sympathy over the latest "disaster" in her life (there's always a "latest disaster").
This "friend" is very happy to see you when she's all alone, but if someone better looking or more popular comes into the room she stops talking to you and pays attention only to the new person. Except of course if the new person pays attention to you-- then she has to interrupt *both* of you to become the center of attention again.
So why, you may be wondering, do I put up with this person? Well, I don't really anymore. I mean, she doesn't know how I feel about her. Sometimes she's amusing in her drama and silliness and I like to watch her and smile and wonder what's going to become of her once she gets out into the real world where nobody will be fooled or charmed by her. I haven't publically given her the brush off, but I don't go out of my way to play along with her games anymore. And you know what's funny? She must have noticed that I'm not nodding yes yes yes to everything she says anymore because all of a sudden she's trying harder and harder to make me pay attention to her.
Yeah right.
Anyway, if you have a "friend" like this girl, take my advice. Quit playing up to her needs for drama and attention and she won't bother you nearly so much. You'll be amazed at how silly she and the people who still fawn over her seem as you watch them from a distance, and you'll be happy to be living your own life instead of always hearing about someone else's. Find friends who care about you and want to listen to you for real!
What do you think?
[hairy legs] [home cooked meal] [in your hands] [all night]