nyala

Thanks Saskia,

Turns out that the whole drinking party spent the day a few miles from where I live, so I could have had the 'walk/coffee' thing at any time if he had made more effort.

I received a text message saying "We will be in this bar till x, then here from y. Come over".

I replied saying I wasn't going to do that and referred to my mail ( which implied I was dealing with many challenges and avoiding alcohol and parties ).

We may get a chance to chat tomorrow.

But - entirely due to my decision - we wont see each other, realistically not for a few years.

Is this a bad thing ? Probably not, if I am ruthlessly honest.

I think I need to bookmark this whole thread. There are going to be many more of these situations, and I need to be better prepared in future.

Thanks again to everyone for your support.

Fradley

matilda123

Thank you, Fradley, for this thread. I am going to bookmark it too

Saskia

Fradley, sorry to hear that you didn't get a friendlier response. Sometimes the way people respond to our changed circumstances can be illuminating and our sobriety can lead to a re-evaluation of our priorities and values. It's not always an easy journey. I know this one was not easy for you though I think you will gain from the experience when some time has elapsed. I'm very happy you successfully negotiated this difficult spot.

Dee74

My true friends stayed with me Fradley.

Some of them took a few years, but alcohol is insidious stuff...

I couldn't blame anyone for putting their relationship with alcohol first cos I did the same thing for decades without even realising it.

D

Venecia

Fradley, let me just join in the kudos. You've handled this situation with self-respect. Sounds like you've got your priorities in a good place.