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Advice

 
  

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Triplets
22:53 / 31.01.06
A girl, J, (lovely, lovely, sweet girl) I've been going out with for the last two weeks or so, I met her sister (who she lives with) in a pub last night. Now as far as I know, as far as her family knows, we're just good mates. So I asked her sister if she'd said anything about us hanging out. Sister said she had but that was it. She then asked me if that really was it. I said yes.

Now, I got a text from J after sister went home asking what I'd said to her sister. I said that I'd asked but said nothing about it. I tried calling J but got hung up on. Sent a second text apologising if I'd upset her but so far no response - it's an agonising wait til morning.

I had no intention of hurting J, I just wanted to get an outside-inside opinion of what she might be thinking about the 'us', but it looks like I might have fucked things up. I'm pretty sure now she see's this as a total violation of trust*. Advice? Condolences? Mercy killings?

*I truly am a cretin. Fucksaaaake.
 
 
Ganesh
23:01 / 31.01.06
Questions:

What do you mean by "going out with" J?

As far as you know, you're "just good mates"; as far as her family (don't understand the italics) know, you're "just good mates". Are you "just good mates"? Have the two of you actually a) done anything more than just-good-mates stuff, or b) discussed the just-good-mates-or-otherwise status of your relationship?

Why did you meet J's sister in a pub to talk about the relationship? Why not J?
 
 
Aertho
23:10 / 31.01.06
Okay I'll start. But only cuz i secretly yearn for you myself.

First, you were a bit triggerhappy asking the sister if J spoke of you. But in all honesty, you're excited about the girl, and want to know if she's excited about you. So, if that's the truly case, you're ridiculously forgiveable.

She's monumentally overreacting. You've really done all you can(phone call, explanation, text, apology), and getting hung up on is evidence of a just plain childish behavior. Let her burn through whatever the big deal is on her own. Keep the bridge open and clean on your end. It may take a workweek, or only a day for her to realize she requires more information and needs to apologize to you, so give her the space and time to do so. You've only been seriously "secretly" dating her for a few weeks, so this is still the learning and judging period, bud. One last thing: if you have her email, I'd suggest extending one last apology and reminder that you're available to discuss the confusion at her earliest convenience.

Now, why are you two so damn "secret"? Are you from the wrong side of the tracks?
 
 
Ganesh
23:24 / 31.01.06
But in all honesty, you're excited about the girl, and want to know if she's excited about you.

Do we know this? As far as I can see, we know only that Triplets has "dated" this female, and that they are "just good friends" (as far as he and, bizarrely, her family are concerned).

That's it. We know nothing more about the J-Triplets relationship, or even if there is a relationship. God alone knows what they talked about on the 'date'. He seems, now, to be reviewing the situation with J's sister rather than J herself - which is, again, a slightly odd state of affairs for two communicating adults who are supposedly 'dating'. Doesn't bode well.
 
 
paranoidwriter waves hello
23:30 / 31.01.06
Triplets, what's her relationship like with her sister? I only ask because there may be an amount of sibling rivalry contributing to your dilemma, so this might be worth considering when you next get the chance to talk to her.
 
 
Tryphena Absent
23:37 / 31.01.06
It sounds like you kind of told her sister you weren't really interested.
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
23:48 / 31.01.06
So, you were "dating" her. I guess the real question is was she "dating" you?
 
 
All Acting Regiment
00:04 / 01.02.06
In my experience (shut up) sisters, assuming they get on well together, look out for eachother. I think that's a bloody good thing, actually, as I've seen it used as defence against particularly odious blokes in the past- not that I or anyone else is exactly perfect, but I'm talking about situations where a woman's sister warned her off a real monster, and without that input she'd have ended up in an abusive relationship.

The close family bonds form a whalemouth-like seive to filter out the bastardo but sometimes a bit of perfectly healthy, tasty plankton can get left outside (I'm struggling for analogies here)...sometimes it seems that decent people, as I'm sure Triplets is, can get the cold shoulder because of this defense mechanism. J's sister has maybe somehow picked up the idea that you're not a good bloke.

What I'm saying is that if this is the case, and you end up not seeing J, at least you know that she's less likely to be going out with complete fucking cretins.

On the other hand, there's also the possibility that her sister envies her or is manipulative/nasty in some otherway, in which case you've got the reverse, negative effect. You're obviously the one in a position to try and make this distinction.

Also, what sort of ages are we talking here, if that's not too much of a prurient question? Because this sort of thing happens all the time among my gang of young shits and at 19 the turmoil's not neccesarily bad, just a byproduct of everyone working out who they are and what they want (and all that crap, why don't they worry about bills etc). Things can be on/off like a flickering bulb, and that's natural. Whereas the more "mature" the people involved are, the more serious it seems. Possibly. More experienced people might disagree, please go ahead.
 
 
ibis the being
00:21 / 01.02.06
It sounds like maybe J was fishing for a clue about the status of your friendship/relationship and arranged for her sister to ask, so she wouldn't have to. The answer she seems to have got is you're "just friends," but apparently she thought otherwise?

See, this is why actually talking about these things with each other is the best way to go about it. She's asking her sister, you're asking us, but only you two can tell each other what you're doing and where you're going with it, or whether you even want to be so specific after only seeing each other for two weeks.
 
 
Alex's Grandma
00:26 / 01.02.06
Why not just cut to the chase and ask her to marry you, Ms T? Ok, it'd be an extreme measure, but at least you'd know how she really feels.
 
 
Spaniel
05:56 / 01.02.06
How do you "date" someone you're just friends with? Okay, I can see how the first date might be a bit pally, but isn't the word "date" supposed to suggest some kind of romantic context. Isn't anything else just "hanging out"?
Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't describe myself as having dated someone who I'd decided was just a good friend.

Sorry, this must all sound like pedants corner, but, like Ganesh, I'm having difficulty deciphering your post.
You weren't pissed were you?
 
 
ONLY NICE THINGS
07:04 / 01.02.06
I think he means: "to the best of my knowledge, this woman's family believe us to be only good friends, whereas in fact we are going out, which is known by both myself and the woman in question". That is, T has put in a comma which changes the meaning of his intended sentence.
 
 
Loomis
07:54 / 01.02.06
Sounds like the sister wants you. I suggest you sleep with her, then write a letter to Penthouse about how you slept with two sisters (neglecting to mention that it was at different times).
 
 
Axolotl
08:24 / 01.02.06
Loomis: that advice really isn't very helpful.
*thinks*
However reading about the fallout would amuse me, so do it Triplets, follow Loomis' advice. DO IT!
 
 
Ganesh
08:43 / 01.02.06
I think he means: "to the best of my knowledge, this woman's family believe us to be only good friends, whereas in fact we are going out, which is known by both myself and the woman in question". That is, T has put in a comma which changes the meaning of his intended sentence.

Ahh, that makes more sense. Girlfriend in a comma (I know, I know, it's serious).

Is she your girlfriend, then, Triplets? You've told us what you think other people think is the situation - but what is the situation? Presumably your 'dates' have included at least some element of discussion of Us?
 
 
Mourne Kransky
11:19 / 01.02.06
Have you never seen a rom com, Triplets? Sheesh: mutual misunderstandings, well-intentioned but meddlesome friends and siblings, star-crossed loverosity, it's all to be expected. Just focus on your inner Hugh Grantery and imagine your inamorata is Sandra Bullock and it will all work out, five minutes before the credits roll.

It did all begin to sound a bit Montagu and Capulet there. Try not to kill any of her kinsmen.
 
 
The Falcon
11:21 / 01.02.06
I think Nina's nailed it, trips.

When you said 'yes, we're just pals.' you should've said 'ah, there might be something more', but you obviously needed to retain the secrecy for whatever reason. It should be perfectly explicable to J; you didn't mean to disavow her, quite the opposite.

Hope so, anyway. Good luck.
 
 
Tryphena Absent
12:01 / 01.02.06
Ganesh, stop trying to dig for the dirt of Triplets. We all know you're just trying to find out if the love exchange has been to town.
 
 
Ganesh
13:16 / 01.02.06
The slow train to Communicationville would suffice.
 
 
A
13:46 / 01.02.06
Ganesh is right to try to dig for the dirt. Triplets has not given us enough information on which to base our judgment.

So, Triplets, spill the beans. Have you gotten to second base, or what?
 
 
Ganesh
15:58 / 01.02.06
Is she aware that you're 'dating' her?
 
 
Char Aina
16:16 / 01.02.06
you seem to be assuming she is not.
why?
he did say they were dating, didnt he?
does it fit with your perception of triplets for him to be lying?

seems a bit mean, geoff.
 
 
Ganesh
16:30 / 01.02.06
Triplets said he'd dated her, that he'd been "going out with" her, but from there it all becomes a little unclear, J's side of things remaining especially opaque. Given the apparent lack of clear communication between Triplets and J, it co-o-uld be one of those peculiar Barbelith situations where someone (usually a male) infers a degree of intimacy with a female through interpretation of non-verbal behaviour (watching cartoons together, aggressive spooning, getting married, leaving the country) without ever getting around to actually clarifying with said female whether or not she views the situation as he does. Women being so difficult to talk to, different species, creatures from another planet, etc., etc.

I kinda wanted to establish that both parties were explicitly aware that yer actual 'dating' was going on.

That was my wiiild speculatin', Tarq.
 
 
Spaniel
18:18 / 01.02.06
Is Triplets embarassed to come back to this thread?

Hey, guy, I still love ya.
 
 
Ganesh
18:24 / 01.02.06
Oh yeah, and if J's surname is Lo, I'll be well impressed.
 
 
Char Aina
19:47 / 01.02.06
triplets cant come back to this thread because he is busy getting busy, surely?
barbelith advice is STRONG TRUTH that not only brings all the boys to the yard, but all the girls too. i hear it brings boys and girls who arent even human to any yard in the known galaxy, if applied correctly.
 
 
Spaniel
06:26 / 02.02.06
That is very interesting.
 
 
Mourne Kransky
11:47 / 02.02.06
lala la la la, lala
the boys are waiting
...for an update, Triplets

He will be busy wooing. Good boy. We don't mind you leaving us hanging like this.
 
 
Mourne Kransky
11:48 / 02.02.06
Really, we don't. Honestly. Not in the slightest. No, Sirree.
 
 
Mistoffelees
15:40 / 02.02.06
Yes, an update! With photos please. My cortex is visually oriented, and one pic is worth more than etc.
 
 
Olulabelle
19:02 / 02.02.06
It all sounds fairly dramatic. Is she, Triplets?
 
 
lekvar
21:00 / 02.02.06
I swear, he just posts us and then leaves. He never calls, it's enough to make a poster feel used.
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
21:05 / 02.02.06
I swear, he just posts us and then leaves. He never calls, it's enough to make a poster feel used.

Gets me hot, anyway. They write country and western songs about people like me, you know.
 
 
Mistoffelees
21:19 / 02.02.06
In the blue barbelithian rockies
Spring is silent through the trees
And the golden poppies are blooming
'round the banks of lake louise

Now, oh, how my lonely heart is aching tonight
For that thread triplets left behind...
 
 
Mourne Kransky
21:26 / 02.02.06
My nails are bitten to the quick. Going to have to take some more of my nerve pills. It's the not knowing that's so hard...
 
  

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