My friends have decided to institute a cancellation policy for our group hangs.
By @vincehm · Friends
If you cancel plans within 24 hours, you owe a $15 'inconvenience fee.' They're serious. They made a whole a place nearby Doc about it.
The full story
So my friend group has decided we're no longer friends, we're a small, poorly managed business. I guess one person got tired of people bailing on brunch reservations, so they drafted a two-page 'Friendship Accountability Mandate.' I wish I was kidding. The rules are absurdly specific. Bailing on a low-stakes plan like grabbing a beer is a $10 fine. Bailing on something that required a reservation or tickets? That's a $25 fine. Being more than 30 minutes late is a $5 penalty. All funds go into a pot for our next group trip, which is ironic because at this rate no one is going to want to go. I tried to argue against it, saying this is insane and we should just, you know, talk to people who are being flaky. But I got outvoted. The ringleader said it's 'not personal, it's about respecting everyone's time.' It feels incredibly personal when my buddy sends me a Venmo request because I had to stay late at work. Am I the only one who thinks this is a completely unhinged way to manage friendships?
How people voted
- OP Is Right — 31% (75 votes)
- Both Messy — 39% (96 votes)
- OP Is Wrong — 30% (73 votes)
Readers are split: “Both Messy” leads with 39% — 244 votes and 8 comments so far.
What people are saying
@maraish — Honestly, if people were flaking so much that a group of adults had to write a formal policy, maybe they're the problem.
@graceeh — I would start invoicing them for the emotional labor of maintaining a friendship with capitalists.
@codyyk — My fantasy league tried to do this for people who didn’t set their lineups and it basically ended our league chat for three months.
@maraee — i want a copy of this Friendship Accountability Mandate immediately this is hilarious
@notmykid — My old D&D group tried this for people who missed sessions and it literally dissolved the group in less than a month.
@paigelol — I wonder how many times you cancelled on them before they did this.
@aidenmaybe — LMAO
@lanekk — I’d show up to every single event exactly 29 minutes late just to prove a point.
Keep reading
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