oh, what a tangled web we weave...

Recently, as I watched an episode of The View (yes, that is how bored out of my mind I am , being iced-in all week), I watched Ron Howard (he will always be Opie to me) discuss his new movie, The Dilemma. Now, I doubt seriously that I will dish out the dough to see this at the theater, I’ll wait ’til it comes to Redbox.

Anyway, the movie is about 2 best buddies, one married, one getting engaged. The engaged one sees his best friend’s wife cheating on him. That is the dilemma–what to do. It certainly gives one something to chew on, and I’ll bet more than a few readers may have experienced this dilemma in real life. I have. Here’s the scoop–and I’ll preface this by saying this was a long time ago, and probably no one reading this blog has any connection to the people in question.

Long ago, I had a male best friend. I’ll call him Joe. We were close, close friends for decades.  I also had a close female friend, let’s call her Trish. Trish and Joe knew each other, but weren’t really friends. Enter “Barb”.  Now, Barb and I knew each other, but were by no means friends.  Ok, got your cast of characters straight? Good.

Joe and  Barb were seriously dating.  Yay. Good for Joe, he had found love. Then I find out that Barb is having a relationship (not affair, a relationship) with none other than—Trish. (BTW-Trish knows I know)  Follow me?  Yeah. It was a real dilemma.  What to do, what to do? Well, I didn’t do anything.  I didn’t like it, but for some reason that I still question, I just sat on it.

Well, the shit gets deeper. The web gets tangled-er (tangled-er? i like it.) Joe and Barb decide to get married. By now (several years later) I am living in a different state, and don’t see any of the parties on a regular basis. I remain mum. Guilt begins to build, as I have recently gotten married, myself. I question whether I would want to know (yes), and what would be the outcome of my disclosure? (Lost friends on all sides).  Still, I keep my mouth shut.

The marriage happens (I don’t go-I am “conveniently” out of the country), and Joe becomes suspicious of Barb within months. Suspicion confirmed, divorce happens. I am blamed for not telling Joe, (by Joe), blamed for telling Joe (by Trish).  Either way I was screwed, and have forever lost two friendships that meant a lot to me.

So I ask you. Put in the situation above, or even a less complicated one, what would YOU do? And that, my friends, is The Dilemma.