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Published Letters: 3
I kinda wanted to marry her somewhere during the second page. I've been on around 100 online dates. At the least I bet I could compare notes with her.
I think I'm not in line with the other commenters, at least based off of the first page of comments I read, but my first interpretation was:
1) "Tell your friend he's dead to me" was a joke. It's just way more likely that would be said as a joke. I just cannot imagine the other set of dynamics. Bride invites girlfriend (to whom she had been a bridesmaid). Girlfriend shows up. Bride would be happy about this. Bride and Groom are not putting much thought into guests, there's never time. Bride really has time to be so upset about girlfriend's *husband's* absence that she'd complain to Groom? And if not, Groom would be so upset that he'd risk poisoning Bride's relationship with girlfriend... at his *wedding*? I just don't see it. But... "Tell your friend he's dead to me", as a joking (if dry) way to make reference to the "expected" (ha ha) presence of missing guy... that's much more believable.
2) Girlfriend expressing/sharing her unhappiness sounds very glossed over.
3) If Girlfriend was feeling sensitive/ashamed about missing guy's absence, then it's understandable that this might color her perceptions of Groom's comment. But only to a point.
4) But if Girlfriend was incapable of believing that Groom's comment was a joke, and was more strident in expressing her displeasure than this letter would have us believe, then a reaction of "It's all about you" is extremely believable. And, "your wedding wasn't perfect either" sounds like a defense from feeling attacked about the *wedding* - namely, the cost.
5) Returning the package even months later doesn't sound asshole-ish, it sounds boundaried and hurt and self-protective.
This doesn't pass the smell test to me. I can't help but wonder if Girlfriend was a wrecking ball and then prettied it up for the letter.
It would have been 100% impossible for the 11-year-old girl to spontaneously decide to honor her father, and not have someone wonder aloud if it were orchestrated. The author's on the wrong road here.
