another turn of what the ?

A friend writes me that "we have to hang out" and that it's "been so long". I write back saying, "well, how about dinner sometime next week?" The friend agrees, then gives availability as being Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday is no good for me, so I agree to Friday. Thursday comes, and I'm already thinking this person's going to cancel. Because they've flaked before. Numerous times. Too many times to mention. Yet, this person wants to meet. OK. Will give them yet another benefit of the doubt.

I say nothing. Friday morning comes and goes, and we're hitting to a little before noon. Nothing from this person. I decide to text a what's up and are we still on? Didn't hear anything for a good hour or so. Then the person writes almost tersely, "I'm at work. May have to postpone as I have to pack." I recalled the person had taken the time out when they reached out to me last week to squeeze in that little detail that they were heading out of town for some much needed time off.

Perhaps that was just to show off? I thoughtfully replied back, "OK. Have a good trip."

I was not about to get dramatic or make an accusation that basically the idiot forgot that they had made plans. Plus it was just a gut thing. An instinctual response. Perhaps they really had to fly out early morning next day, and didn't want to get mired in dinner and possible couple of drinks. That's fine. We're all adults. Plus, waiting til last minute to pack, that can always cause extra undue stress. Procrastination is a bitch, I get it.

Next day, I had to run some errands and get some laundry done. The bedsheets were overdue for a cleansing and a changing. So I took two loads of it down -- two sets of bedsheets, comforters and pillowcases to wash. While waiting for stuff to clean then dry, I texted asking if they were already traveling.

The person answers they didn't have a flight at that time but later in the day. 4:30 pm. I thought about that for a second. So...they didn't have an early morning rush to anywhere. Packing takes what, about an hour, two tops? If laundry needs to be done, then four hours easy.

Even if they went to bed early, and slept in til 10 am, they could've still got the laundry done, and be out the door and at the place to travel in plenty of time to spare without breaking a sweat.

I did not say anything. That confirmed it to me -- the person had simply forgot they had made these plans with me. I decided I was going to lay low. There was a reason why I didn't ever go searching for this person, because I saw the pattern they tended to encourage and develop with others, making others seems desperate and jumpy to see them. "When am I going to see you? I'm in town Tuesday through Friday, let's get together any time you want!" writes one desperado. Another writes, "I haven't seen you in so long! When can we meet up?" Another writes, "You wait until I get to Jersey to tell me you were home cooking! OH well! Another time I guess."

It's a sweet ploy, leading others to believe that you are so busy that your time is so precious that you blow off people and leave them begging and asking for face time with you. Life's way too short for mindfuck games, in my opinion.

If you don't want to hang with me, I'm not going to stress it nor stress you. Fuck that. I only want to hang with those who truly like me and want to hang out with me, not to have me around for their fucking amusement so they could feel superior.

Let's just say that the days of this person trying to dick me around for their amusement are clearly numbered.