Pro wrestling (the entertaining kind, not the real kind) is coming to Santomas, Estacado, at some point soon. While I’m living in the big city (or what passes for it) going to a live pro wrestling demonstration is something I’d definitely like to do.

Suffice it to say, this sort of thing is not high on Clancy’s list of things that she would like to do. The thing is that I have an old college friend that lives in a nearby town who was one of the two people that introduced me to what was then WWF and WCW wrestling. I haven’t been following wrestling in years and I wouldn’t be surprised if it fell off his radar, too. That being said, he is surely more on top of things than I am and it would be great to go with someone more knowledgeable.

The problem is that I suspect that said friend is not in a comfortable position financially and I would be surprised if he’s got the money for that sort of thing, though if he’s still a big fan I’m sure he could make the money for it (he did back in college when he was particularly hard up). I wouldn’t want to place a financial burden on him and if he can’t afford it, I might be willing to front the cost of his ticket just for his company.

These things are always awkward, though. He’s a proud guy and if he can afford it he might take offense at my offering to cover for it and if I didn’t make the offer outright he’d probably find some reason not to be able to go (it’s on a weeknight, which could be reason enough). So how does one approach this situation? Typically when I’ve been in this situation, the hard-up friend hasn’t had a problem sharing in my generosity… but this is a different case.

To make matters potentially even more difficult, he’s had friendships end for the flimsiest of reasons loosely related to his pride and this sort of thing could blow up in my face entirely. He’s loosened up a great deal since he’s gotten married, but how much?

There ought to be a way I can ask the question without asking it, but that also has the tendency to make people mad. I in particular hate it when people do that, but mostly because I don’t get offended by questions easily. People who get offended easily by questions also get offended by people dancing around questions. That’s kind of annoying.

Then again, maybe he’s mellowed out enough since getting married that I’m working myself all up for nothing. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve walked on eggshells around a deaf person.


Category: Downtown, Theater

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5 Responses to Wrestling With Friendship

  1. Peter says:

    “Hey Charlie, my wife and I got tickets to the wrestling show, but now she can’t go and I have an extra ticket. Do you want to go?”

  2. logtar says:

    I agree with Peter. If he has the money he will probably offer to pay for the ticket, if he does not take it then so be it. If he is that easily offended and that hard to talk to I question your sanity because of your desire for taking him anywhere it the first place.

  3. trumwill says:

    Peter,
    That’s a pretty good idea! Not sure that he would buy Clancy ever agreeing to go to a wrestling show, though.

    Logtar,
    He is really thin-skinned when it comes to a handful of things. He doesn’t look for ways to feel disrespected, but he he reacts fanatically when he feels he has been so. Money is a tight issue with him and it has been with us in particular. He was in debt to me for several hundred for a couple of years and it was an uncomfortable time. When it doesn’t involve money or disrespect, though, he’s a really good guy and can be pretty fun to be around.

  4. Webmaster says:

    Logtar,

    I agree w/ Will on this one. The friend in question (I still consider him such, though I don’t know what he considers me) is quick to anger and slow to forgive, but when he’s not angry at you is a pretty good friend. I’ve known him to react angrily to someone taking him out to dinner and then beating him to the tab when he decided (internally) that he wanted to pay his share.

    He also has an unfortunate tendency to see those who are still friends with those he’s no longer friends with in a less-than-kindly light, which is why I have no idea what he considers me these days. I’m actually amazed given that one that he and Will are on as good terms as they are.

  5. Spungen says:

    Say you got all excited and bought the tickets before you asked her, thinking you could wheedle her into it, but she refuses to go.

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