Summerside — A local man is relieved that his acquaintance sent he and his estranged wife a group message telling the former couple they were both being unfriended on Facebook.
A message request popped up Tuesday morning on Facebook telling Jim Hiltz and Bertha Holman that their “constant negative posts, especially about each other” was the reason they were no longer welcome on the news-feed of Sarah Christian, who hasn’t talked to either of them in years but felt it was important to tell them before hitting unfriend.
“I was pretty surprised,” said Hiltz. “I hadn’t heard from Sarah in like five years, and I actually wasn’t aware that she was even still following my Facebook feed. I’d stopped following her around the time she had her first kid and began incessantly posting pictures of her ‘adorable tush.’ I also don’t post that often about my psycho ex… so I was naturally confused.”
Hiltz recounted the rest of his final interaction with his former friend. “I told her it was a shame to hear that she was unfriending me, and that she didn’t really have to tell me — she could have just done it. But I was sort of proud of her for standing up and getting it done. That takes guts.”
Holman’s experience was similar. “I had completely forgotten Sarah was a Facebook friend. I think she mistook my posting about my insane family as passive-aggressively talking about that asshole I call my ex-husband. I told her I was sorry he was posting such terrible things to make her want to unfriend both of us. I’ll miss her, but I know this was hard for her.”
The Manatee reached out via Skype to Christian, a former pastor in Halifax, about the incident. “When I messaged them I told them I was tired of their negativity. I figured it would be best to stew in my own juices for years and then tell them both off rather than speak to them individually and in person. Jim especially was a treasured friend.”
We asked why she hadn’t talked to him in years if they were such good friends. “Well, I was busy telling my parishioners to get over themselves,” she explained. “Their constant spiritual and marital issues eat up most of my time… unfortunately I can’t simply unfriend the people who attend my church.”
Hiltz and Holman reportedly begged Christian to reconsider her decision, but both were turned down.
“I may have lost a friend,” said Jim, “but at least I know poor Sarah’s no longer stressed out by whatever posts of mine she sees as negative.”