Q: Defriending happens, I get it, but most of the time people do not own up to it. However, recently I was defriended and the person texted to tell me. What is the appropriate response (if any), when a person texts to tell you that they have defriended you on facebook. -Defriended in Dallas
A: Ouch, Defriended. Unexpectedly lowered FB numbers are painful enough—I can’t believe this kid was so bold as to let you know your Internet friendship was over via text message. I’m assuming you’ve left them hanging on your response and that’s a good move. Don’t do this ex-friend any favors by lighting up their cell phone. De-friending happens for many reasons: trite quiz answer posts, an excess of lame performance invitations, etc. Personally, I’m happy to let people go once the “hide” feature just isn’t cutting it. You don’t seem new to the de-friending game either, though it sounds like you catch it from the other side more often than not. I don’t know what you did to earn this one but it must have been pretty epic to inspire a FB friendship termination text. Take a moment to scroll through your mental Rolodex of bogus crap you’ve done and see if you can’t come up with an explanation for this de-friending. Did you receive an urgent wall post or message and never respond? Did you let a poke linger far too long? If you can’t figure it out, don’t bother responding to this nutjob. On the other hand, if your Facebook blunder was obvious to you from the get go, work through the internal issues that caused it. Don’t respond, D.I.D., but consider your wall-to-wall finished. Because when someone deletes you, it only gets harder to send another Friend Request.
Love,
Lauren
