Karma Cleanser - March 05 2003

Dear Karma Cleanser:
A little less than a year ago, I had my first serious boyfriend. To make this long, common story short, I ended my friendship with my best friend “John,” who kept telling me I was dicking him over and spending too much with this boyfriend. He became super annoying, and so I told him how I began to hate him and didn’t want to be his best friend anymore. My boyfriend and I broke up, and in the meanwhile another guy, we’ll call him Jay, and I became even better friends. In fact, he basically took John’s place. Months passed, and Jay got a girlfriend. She and I didn’t like each other, at all. So Jay won’t talk to me now. Karma has made me taste my own medicine! ?

I’ve tried to be John’s friend again, but I don’t think he’s too crazy about the idea. Now I’m stuck here. I know we can’t always help how karma makes its rounds, but jeez Louise! It’s been more than four months now! What should I do? How can I make karma get movin’?
-- Foolish monkey in the middle ?

We posed your problem to our friend Arthur, an expert on the dangers of dating myopia. His response: Relationships and your circle of friends are a garden. Focus on a new plant too much and you risk letting other plants wither and die. Plus, you just might over-water the new arrival. But sometimes an old friendship can turn into kudzu, threatening to strangle any new flowers. In your case, you’ve made a mud hole out of your former garden. Now is the season to till the land and start with some fresh seeds — and smarter planting.?

? Dear Karma Cleanser:
The question may sound a little odd, but I’ll ask it anyway. Is there such a thing as geographical karma? I like metro Atlanta, but it seems to not like me. Every time I have lived here, there’s nothing but drama, from dealing with friends, to jobs, to the authorities. When I leave Atlanta, I feel this great sense of relief. But once I come back, there’s an even bigger sense of dread. My great-grandfather left Atlanta in the early 1900s and supposedly said, “A Cashaw should never live in Atlanta.” So is there such a thing as geographical karma?
-- M. Cashaw ?

Perhaps it’s not a case of bad karma, per se, but if there’s a voice in your head screaming, “Leave this place!” then by all means, listen to it. Don’t let your family history taint your mindset, but then again, maybe granddad was onto something.?

Been bad? Out with anger, in with love. ? ? karma@creativeloafing.com.