Are you Playing Hard to Get?

At the grand old age of *cough* 25, I don’t expect to be told that I’m playing hard to get.

But there you have it. Last week, one of my old friends said that’s exactly what I do.

The reason for this is that I am atrocious at responding to calls and text or email messages. You’d think I’d be better at this sort of thing, considering I don’t have THAT many friends to start with.

I’m convinced it’s not just me who does this, though.

A friend sends me a text message. “I won’t reply just yet,” I think. “I just need to finish this email.” 

I’m driving and look down at my phone, to see a missed call. There’s a voicemail. And a text.

“When I get home, I must listen to that.” 

And I do reply. I do.

Except I reply in my head. I know exactly what I’m going to text when I get a minute – and think about it, while I’ve got my phone close at hand.

Or I type an email reply, get distracted by Facebook or a phone call, or a quick bill to pay online – and I never hit send.

I mean to make a phone call, but when I think about it, my phone battery is dying, I’ve got no signal, I left my phone in the car and it’s freezing outside.

It’s not really that I’m playing hard to get; it’s more like being Missing in Action.

The challenge of course is modern technology. These days, we know when an email or text has been received, or read.

So naturally people are offended when a text message is read, but not responded to.

I know because I’m frequently the person wondering why one of my friends hasn’t responded to a text message I sent two days ago. ESPECIALLY when I see they’re busy Tweeting or posting on Facebook. I’m all, “But you’re clearly online so why aren’t you replying to ME?” 

So, maybe my resolution for 2018 is to stop being hard to get. Otherwise known as being incredibly careless and a bit rude.

I’m definitely going to start replying to text messages. Just as soon as I find my phone charger.