My cousin Kim is one of the warmest, most caring, and compassionate people that I know.

In addition to raising her own children she has also been a foster and adoptive mother, and she has counseled others in times of stress.

Having said that, I need to add that I find her religious and political views abhorrent, and I’m unable to reconcile how such a caring individual can hold such hateful and hate-filled opinions.

Because of the huge difference in our views, I stay clear of any political or religious postings she makes, as I realize there is little chance of either of us persuading the other one. But last evening I saw that she had put up a sisterhood poster. I forget exactly what it said, but it was something along the lines of sisters should support each other, stand up for each other, that sort of thing.

Which reminded me of a Sondheim song, “Old Friends” from Merrily We Roll Along (actually just about everything reminds me of a Sondheim song these days). Anyway I thought about this passage (the lines are sung variously by three characters):

And old friends let you go your own way.
Help you find your own way.
Let you off when you’re wrong?
If you’re wrong?
When you’re wrong?
Right or wrong, the point is:
Old friends shouldn’t care if you’re wrong.
Should, but not for too long.
What’s too long?
If you’re wrong?
When you’re wrong.

So without really thinking, I posted a comment, something to the effect: “Should they tell you when you’re wrong? If you’re wrong.”

Now I realized that it was possible Kim might not see that as the whimsical comment that I intended, so as I went to bed I was thinking I should expand on it a bit. Maybe by posting an excerpt from Jerry Herman’s song “Bosom Buddies“:

Orphan Annie and Sandy
Like Amos and Andy
If I say that your sense of style’s
As far off as your youth
It’s simply that who else but a bosom buddy
Will sit down and tell you the truth.

Yes, my free associations can take me far and wide.

Anyway, I woke up this morning to find that not only had Kim deleted my comment, but she had unfriended both me and my sister.

I think unfriending someone is one of the mildest and most socially responsible ways that one can register displeasure, so good for her, though why she unfriended my sister as well is a mystery. She and my sister used to be great friends, bosom buddies, if you will.

Oh, and no, we don’t call her Kimmie. I just thought that made for a more light-hearted title.