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My Friend Ghosted Me: How My New Dog Came Between Us
Really.
Tara and I met walking our dogs. I had passed her what felt like a hundred times before. We were known in our neighborhood as the “hardcore” walkers. We walked on the days no one else would be out — rain, bitter cold, snow, heat — we were either dedicated or crazy. One day I introduced myself, and, heading in the same direction, we walked together. At the end of the walk, we exchanged numbers and were soon walking together multiple times a day, for hours. When we wanted to walk, we would text a dog emoji followed by a question mark. Even when I wasn’t up to walking, I pulled myself together when she asked because I enjoyed our friendship: a friendship that never once extended beyond walking in the confines of our neighborhood.
I felt privileged to have made it into Tara’s world. She was an introvert — the kind that appeared extroverted — and didn’t open up easily, but we just clicked. Over the years, we learned every detail of each other’s lives, from personal struggles to complaining about how much we hated our bosses. We laughed a lot, sometimes inappropriately when people-watching or gossiping. We were each other’s first texts when something happened, good, bad, or just to vent.
Our friendship wasn’t as idyllic on the inside, though. Despite being so close, it never penetrated the…
