Dear Annie: Please tell me if I am wrong. I was in the town where my longtime friend of more than 59 years still lives. It was her birthday, and since I was in town, I decided to stop by to say happy birthday in person.

Shortly after I arrived, her cellphone rang and she answered. She was having trouble hearing the caller and asked the caller to call her on the landline. She answered the landline and totally ignored my presence. I thought this was very rude and left her home.

She later called me wondering why I left. I had a three-hour drive back home. Was I wrong? — Insulted Friend

Dear Insulted Friend: On the one hand, yes, you could look at your friend’s actions as rude. Picking up a call while you were there seems questionable. On the other hand, you can look at it as her feeling comfortable enough with you to treat you like a true friend who doesn’t judge when she has something else to do for a minute. It was HER birthday, after all.

I think you are being a little bit high-maintenance on her birthday, and I would have cut her some slack — all the while making it known to her that your pet peeve is being with someone who picks up the phone to speak with someone else while they already have company. The fact that she didn’t know why you were mad indicates that, had your roles been reversed, she would not have been offended. Remember, people are not mind readers. You have to tell them what bothers you and why it hurts your feelings.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

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