Dear Bubby,
I have a very good friend whom I love dearly. The problem is she talks ALL the time. She doesn't let me finish what I'm saying. She just constantly interrupts to say whatever she has to say and half the time changes the subject from what we were talking about. It's like half the time she doesn't hear what I'm saying. I try to finish what I'm saying but usually just give up.
Should I say something to her or just let her talk? This is getting to be quite stressful.
Thanks Bubby,
Maryjane
Dear Maryjane,
I understand your problem so well. I had a friend and her name was - believe it or not - Annajane. She had the same habit as your friend. No matter who was talking, if she wanted to say something - without hesitation - out it came. I thought about it and here is what I decided to do. When she would interrupt, I would gently lean toward her and put my hand on her hand or arm and that would stop her right in the middle of a word. I would say, "You are interrupting and that's not nice." She would stop talking right away.
This routine was repeated many times until one day she said to me, "I really should not interrupt when another person is speaking and I will just have to control myself." And she did. In later years we would laugh about this and always remained good friends. Try it!
Good luck.
0 OPINIONS ADDED
"Help Me, Bubby!" Disclaimer
By submitting a letter to this website, you grant Help Me, Bubby! permission to publish it on this site or elsewhere
including print publications. Your letter will only include an anonymous signature that you provide or that we use to
substitute for your real name. Your email address will never be included or distributed. Due to the large number of
letters received, there is no guarantee that a letter will be responded to. Any information or advice given at
Help Me, Bubby! is not intended to provide an alternative to professional medical treatment or to replace the advice
or services of a physician or psychiatrist. Neither Bubby nor her granddaughters are professional therapists or medical
experts. If you have any serious medical or mental problem, please consult a professional. Although all this advice is
offered lovingly from the heart and in good spirit, we are not responsible in any way for your decision to accept or
reject the advice or the results thereafter.