Ghosting ~

 

Yesterday I learned about a new thing called “ghosting.” What the heck is that? Well, remember the good old days when you you spent all afternoon getting ready for a hot date and your suitor never even bothered to show up {I use the term “good old days” loosely}? You were stood up and you may or may not have heard from him again. Well, “ghosting” is technology’s answer to that.

 

When one has been ghosted, it means that someone has cut off all ties with that person for no apparent reason. All ties. All communication severed. With no explanation. Have you ever talked to someone online for what seems like forever and then nothing. No explanation. Just crickets chirping. That, my friend, is ghosting. It’s the passive aggressive’s way of dealing with your feelings.

I have to admit that I got ghosted once. I was dating this guy when I lived in Virginia for just a few weeks and then all of a sudden nothing. What was really strange was that he used to drive me to college {not that I couldn’t drive myself, he just offered/insisted} and then one day he didn’t even show up. We got along great {or at least I thought so} and then, all of a sudden, no show and no return phone calls. I didn’t know whether to think he dumped me or that he might have gotten killed!

Even Reba McEntire is confused! 

Finally, several days later, some woman either called me or answered at his house when I called {I can’t remember which now} and it turns out that he had dumped me for her. She even knew about me and he told her that he wasn’t interested in me for some really stupid reason. Wow. He could have told me. I am not sure what he thought I would have done if he told me he wanted to see someone else. It’s not like we were married for 20 years. Sheesh. Calm down, dude.

You can’t dump me!!! 

Anyway, that woman kept calling me for a while asking me whether I thought he would do her the same way. I told her that the only evidence I had about him is that yes, he probably would. She kept calling – I guess hoping that I would tell her that he was madly in love with her and that they would one day move to a quaint cabin in the Scottish country and live happily ever after. Blah. I finally ghosted her because it was the only way to get her to shut up.

I never heard from the guy ever again. She finally stopped calling after a while. I think getting the number changed had a lot to do with that. 😉 Regardless, they seemed quite perfect for each other. Neither had any regard for anyone’s feelings but their own. 😛

Nope, I don’t think that’s the reason you’re not calling… 

Ironically, the term “ghosting” can also be used to refer to a form of identity theft which is quite the opposite form of trust invasion. This form of ghosting refers to when someone takes on the identity of a deceased person for financial or personal gain. Ghosting apparently always refers to actions of straight up jerks.

Have you ever been ghosted? Have you ever ghosted someone else and felt guilty later?