Friends that you had to let go.

Kern Dog said
We have all had friends that eventually got too much to take.

Over the last several years, I have noticed something about people that has affected how much I am willing to tolerate.
SOME people talk about themselves too damned much.
To me, the most interesting person is the one that engages others in conversations. The dialog is a shared one and isn't one sided.
The absolute worst is the guy that only talks about what HE is interested in.
I went here, I went there, I bought this, I sold that.....
I know some guys that are great though. They ask questions, talk about tech, family stuff, current events and don't make every subject revolve around themselves.
TWO separate terminal bachelors that I've known always talk about themselves and show almost no interest in what anyone else wants to say.
Why is that? I know it isn't limited to just bachelors but I wonder if a lifetime of NOT having a woman around to care for tends to render them completely selfish.
Every car show that I go to, I see guys that I haven't seen in several months if not a year. Some are considerate people. Many are not. I always try to remember their car and ask them about it. Some reciprocate. Some see my question as an excuse to give a 17 minute monolog about everything on their minds. These are the ones that are slowly being added to the list of people I don't care to speak with that much.
I've mentioned this issue to many people that I know and some have said they feel the same way.
Tim is a guy that I've known for more than 12 years. He used to live in town but moved away for a job. He calls and wants to talk about everything HE is interested in. When I try to elaborate on something from my own day, I get the obvious signs of disinterest, followed by Okay, I gotta get going.
The last time he did this, in closing, I said...."Well, it was great listening to everything that YOU wanted to talk about".
He was surprised....What do you mean by that??
The guy was clueless. He is a software engineer but not smart enough to take a hint on this.
I like having friends but if the ones I have only see me as someone to listen to THEM talk all the time, I'll quit taking their calls.
How about you?
Have you had buddies with bad habits you just couldn't take?

Some have fallen to the way side as their life spirals downward in things I’m not up for doing in anyway shape or form.

AKA, drinking and drugs, no thanks. You can keep those things for yourself including your new found narcissistic ways, vanity, self-assuredness, pathetically poor attitude, and a host of other idiotic things that were never part of you or that were very small and minor that I’ve grown to be completely blown out of proportion issue. You’ve given up caring and concern for everything except yourself and your drugs. There was no room in my life for this or anybody that follows this. Also, trust me, no one cares anymore since you alienated them. No, they don’t want to step up to your level of excellence because it is not and they’re happier without you. Be by yourself and enjoy the loneliness of your small box you out yourself into. No, it’s not a palace you say it is, it’s a box of doom.

Then there are others that let there idle hands wonder around into places where they develop a vice outside of alcohol and drugs. Enjoy your your own deception in your deviant ways. You’re sickening!

To the asswipe who discovered an easy and amazing way to make and create stupid sums of money. Enjoy your wealth by yourself. I need not a penny from you or even a glance. Enjoy the dead presidents you love so much.

May they find there missing peace and sanity.

Then there are those that just simply have changed their path and have traveled it for their life time. There was never an issue there (with them) to begin with, just life taking them down a road not shared by me and my wife but themselves and their wife’s.
Miss you guys.