A tale of two memes

A year or so ago, I had a "Friend Request" from a woman whose name I didn't recognise.  I checked her profile picture, and she looked vaguely familiar, so I didn't delete the request.  After weeks, I decided, based on what little info I could glean, that she was connected with Victoria Hospice, where I was a volunteer for several years in my otherwise misspent youth, so I accepted the request, and she cheerfully "liked" my posts.

It was several months before I realized she was, in fact, the president of the student council in my graduating year at high school. Her surname had changed with marriage.  A perfectly nice lady, but I was at a loss as to why she would be "friending" me; it was a relatively small school, but we had not known each other well.  In fact, my most salient memory of her was from a rare encounter at university, where I had also seen little of her.

We were chatting and she mentioned something about her house, but added that of course, I would remember whatever it was.

"Well, no, I've never been to your house."

"Of course you have!  Everyone's been to my house!"

So her posts would show up on my Facebook wall from time to time, mostly references to other things about her life with which I was not familiar.

Then, a couple of months ago, she posted something called "Meeting Between Bread".  This is a meme that used to be called "Meeting Between Breadfruit", but the wording is exactly the same:

Click to enlarge - if you must

Oh gawd. 

First of all, this woman is a teacher. Next, we have the usual red flags of a meme designed for data-mining: the unusual name, the request to copy and paste rather than to share, and the manipulative meta-message that if we don't comply we are inattentive and uncaring.

Finally, one word I'd associate with this woman? The kindest one: "president", I suppose. Less kind: "oblivious".

The meme is undeniably effective.  Responses flowed in, to the point where I hid the post.

There are a number of links I could have shared, but painful experience has taught me that people don't like being corrected.  Fair enough.  I don't like being corrected either.  (However, I often learn a bit more that way, irritating as it is.)  I thought about it for a few hours, while I went about my business, mostly along the lines of what I have set down here.

And I unfriended her.  I doubt she noticed.

Two months later, another Facebook "friend", also a fellow alumni, posted pretty much exactly the same meme.  He too was getting a lot of gratifying responses.

This was a little more complicated.  This is a fellow I've known since elementary school, so we have a history.  In fact, my heart sank when, about 10 years ago, his "friend" request came in, but I couldn't think of any reason to refuse him.  He addresses me, and all other women acquaintances, as "Dear Heart".  A lot of the time, I want to smack him.  Luckily for him, he hasn't been within striking range for years.

He's a IT expert, so I was surprised to see this meme, and, once again, appalled at its effectiveness.  I sat for a few minutes, considering unfriending him (as I have for years), but decided to send this link instead.  He responded in a few minutes, on the post itself, expressing appreciation, then followed up with a further post, name-checking me, and saying that the problem was with the copy-and-paste.

Close, but no cigar.

Then he wrote on my wall.  "Lots of us", he said, had missed me at a recent reunion gathering, and could we meet in person?

Oh gawd, no. "Lots of us?" I said out loud to the screen.  "Who, exactly?"

I went away and did other things for a few hours.  Time and tussles have taught me to never respond immediately to things that irritate me.  Especially people.

When I answered, I went for the truth.  Not the whole truth.

I had an elderly mother and upcoming elective surgery, I told him.  I would be sticking to my bubble.

And then, I unfriended him.  It was his birthday - actually a sort of gift for both of us.

I doubt he noticed.

Almost immediately afterwards, I found this:

On Reddit

The Resident Fan Boy found me by the computer, doubled over with laughter.