Bob needs a friend in Book Two
- March 29, 2025, 7:25 p.m.
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- Public
I don’t like any of my friends in Taiwan and this is a bit of a problem because I only have 2.
With Joe, my American friend, the longer I know him, the more he reveals about himself and those revelations are always a little disturbing.
He’s a gun nut. I get it. He’s American. But I’ve never shot a gun. I only see trouble with guns.
He’s a conspiracy believer too. This is more troubling. He talks about the deep state and the main stream media, and what is really going on with the world, the Americans, the republicans… it’s exhausting.
The thing about people who consume a lot of news (fake and otherwise) is that they will talk about stuff that I not only know nothing about, I also care nothing about. They will introduce new people and topics so I am always playing catch up.
Otherwise he’s fine.
My problem is is that I am a good listener. I don’t like to talk.
I’ll ask questions and keep the conversation going.
My other friend, Kevin is Taiwanese. My problem with him is that he really really needs a friend and he decided that that friend is me. He will dump all of his emotional garbage on me. I know everything about the guy after two (or has it been three) meetings? That’s exhausting too.
But I can’t just spend time by myself for six months in Taiwan, talking only to restaurant staff and convenience store clerks.
該怎麼辦?
Nash ⋅ March 29, 2025
They say friendship after forty is always difficult. When you are young and exploring the world it is easy to cultivate relationships, but once you are older and see the world through sober experienced eyes there is little tolerance for anything outside of your comfort zone.
Bob Unembellished Nash ⋅ March 30, 2025
Maybe thats why I get along with people online better than IRL
gattaca Bob Unembellished ⋅ March 30, 2025
I agree with Nash, and from personal experience. Since I retired, friends/colleagues have drifted. And that's partially my fault.
At the risk of sounding morbid, Covid killed quite a few of my friends (university faculty, staff - I worked at the university of Arizona for 15 years; Covid hit hard here) and the university ended up closing down the retiree association. All of my international travel plans were shot to hell thanks to Covid.
Bob Unembellished gattaca ⋅ March 30, 2025
I contacted an old friend from high school that I knew through Facebook had moved to my town. We had a couple of coffee dates but didn't click.