Throughout the course of life, everyone gets into conflict with someone and terminates their relationship with them, whether that relationship is personal or professional. Usually, when that relationship comes to an end – the people in conflict go their separate ways – but sometimes – people persist ad nauseum to try and rectify or correct the issues they had with a person that made them break contact in the first place, despite the fact that the other person in the conflict has repeatedly ignored their attempts. This happens to me on occasion – and whenever I encounter this – all it does is make me laugh.

As I have stated many times, when I am “done” with someone – that’s it. I am normally a very forgiving person, but when someone crosses a line with me that cannot be reconciled – I completely cut them out of my life for good – never wanting anything to do with that person again. And yet, they try relentlessly to re-enter my life, thinking that I can get over whatever it is they did and rekindle the relationship that I had with them…

…fat chance.

I have had people that I never want to deal with again call me, e-mail me – and even appear in person and try to work things out with me. When I get a phone call or e-mail, I can simply ignore it, which I do – but when they appear in person – I tell them, very honestly, that although we had a relationship in the past – that was the past – and that’s all our relationship ever will be. If I was told by someone that they never wanted to hear from me again, I would take the hint and never bother them again – so why don’t the people I never want to speak to again do the same when it comes to me?

I once wrote a column about a friend of mine who had a very severe stroke and received an e-mail from a former friend complimenting the column. The person who e-mailed me did unspeakable things to me, which included trying to get me fired from my position at the TLC by making up outrageous lies and e-mailing them directly to my Commissioner. When I got the e-mail from this person – I was astounded. What did the person think? That I would e-mail them back and say something like, “Hey thanks! So how have you been? Do you want to get together soon?” Did this person think I forgot that they almost cost me my career? Did this person think I would simply forgive and forget something like that? Amazing.

This happened to me again very recently, and each time it does – I get more and more dumbfounded at people’s audacity. Again, if someone ever told me to take a long walk off of a short pier – I wouldn’t – but I would get the point that my friendship was unwanted and I would stay out of their life. I only wish that those people that I have asked to do the same would stay out of my life as I have asked them to – and not waste their time or mine trying to beat a very dead horse. It’s like being thrown out of a bar for being too wasted – and then going back there the very next night and expecting to be let through the front door. I am sure that the bouncer of that bar would not forget their behavior – and would never allow them entry into that bar ever again…

…no matter how hard they tried.