MIC ON MONDAY: Thank you for being a friend...even if you're a bad one.

Good day, AUTHENTIC!

I'd first like to offer a "Thank you" to one Ms. Bea Arthur. She was an American comedienne, actress, and singer. In a career spanning seven decades, Arthur achieved success as the title character, Maude Findlay, on the 1970s sitcom Maude, and as Dorothy Zbornak on the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls; she won Emmys for both roles.(Source) Sadly, she passed on Saturday, 25 April. Corny as it may sound, her passing made me reflect on The Golden Girls and the golden girls in my life. That being said, I openly admit that this post is on some TMI ‘ish. That being said, sit yo’self down and humor me. I got woman issues.

I received a call from a girlfriend around ten o’clock one night. She and I had shared space and time for almost a year, and it was evident that we were close. I was not oblivious to the fact that she was not in favor of what she considered to be my “lifestyle,” but during the season we shared together, I chose to cultivate our friendship despite my reservations about her deeming my existence & expression as a black gay man in America a “lifestyle” and less than hers. Nevertheless, during what started out as one of our daily phone chats, she pierced my eardrum & more importantly my heart as she said, “It pisses me off that you CHOOSE to live this way!” Silence followed. I did not contact for two months. I then sent her a letter that stated she had no place in my life, but that I did appreciate the good times we spent together. Time passed, and then we agreed to meet. Actually, it was more about me visiting home, and being from a small town, my visit would have been reported. And not wanting to be a bad Southern gentleman, I let her know that I’d be in town and that we could meet up. In the back of my mind I knew this would be a means to add closure to the demise of our friendship.

Fast forward to a week ago.

She leaves a very emotional message on my voicemail crying that she wants to know what she did wrong that would end our friendship. FYI: she’s been calling for almost a year after my visit home, however, I have not answered any of her calls. Did she forget her previous asinine behavior?

Now here’s my question: When is a friendship worth salvaging? When is it worth letting go? What are some issues/actions that may possibly cease a friendship? SIDENOTE: I’m in no way interested in salvaging this relationship.




Thank you all for being a friend.

P.S. be great today. be AUTHENTIC.

mikey loves ya'!