Goodbye, my friend

Breaking up is hard to do-especially when it involves severing ties with a buddy you used to be tight with

- Jonathan Rowe

Trimming Trimming your social circle online requires only a mouse click. But cutting off a real-life friend can be a truly complex maneuver. What follows is a personal tale of a bromance gone awry, as well as tips from a pro on dealing with a dysfunctional friendship you might one day have.

Pals since way back

For 15 rocky years growing up we'd been friends. We were both jerks in high school, as teens clamouring for popularity can be. And during college, secure in ourselves, we had some legendary times. But then he got married-early and carelessly-and took a job he hated. And our downfall began.

At 25 he was insulting my other friends to their faces and forcibly talking over everyone around him, including me. But we were old school pals, so I was tolerant. By 30, I'd become a punching bag he used to take out all the anger he accrued at work and home. Though I calmly expressed my displeasure on multiple occasions, nothing seemed to get through to him.

I valued our friendship, but it had become emotionally abusive.

One fateful September weekend, I decided to drop the hammer.

Game on...friendship off?

While football Sundays in Pennsylvania never find suburban man at his most refined, the rivalry of an Eagles-Steelers game can turn a normally chill wing spot into a beer-soaked, bone-littered cauldron of wrath.

I chose to take my stand on one such Sunday, in one such place. I figured the fervour of the bar would drown out any explosive reaction to my announcement. I rehearsed my monologue the night before, in the morning, and on the drive over. Our time had come.