The cousin has no interest in meeting with the LW. It's the LW who is pushing for this. Doesn't that tell everyone all they need to know? this reminds me of the time i was on a jury, and everyone but me voted not to convict because they felt sorry for the guy. they stated that was the reason to vote against a conviction.

i reminded people that the judge asked us to look at the evidence, and the evidence only. the evidence was pretty clear that the guy was guilty; my fellow jurors didn't deny it.

the evidence, based on this letter, is that the LW barely knows the ex; she's never 'hung out' with him alone. is this really a friendship? she asks cary if she must sever her "friendship" with the guy.

it's pretty clear the ex barely knows the LW exists. they've never even been in the same room together alone. how many friends do you have that you've never been in the same room with - alone?

the LW gets some sort of sadistic pleasure out of telling people she went on vacation w/the ex and that 'why should i halt my friendship w/the ex.'

they have no friendship. this is about goading and manipulating the cousin.

the LW has no life, and so she tells the cousin how to live, what to feel, what to talk about (the new boyfriend, not the old one), and then tries to insert herself into her cousin's life by going around talking about her 'friendship' with the cousin's ex.

the irony is that the cousin has no interest in meeting with the LW - because the LW is either intentionally cruel, not that bright, or emotionally stunted.

the LW wants to keep this drama alive, because it gives her the impression she has a life. and she loves to throw that in the cousin's face.

the drama the LW is creating *IS* her life. this letter and the responses tells her she has one.