Got a friend that I have known for 10+ years that I am starting to have an issue with. My friend has always been a bit of an exaggerator and an embellisher of stories to cast himself in a better light or get himself out of trouble. All of our mutual friends know this to be the case most of us play along because in most cases his lies are harmless. Also we ignore it because if you question him at all about the accuracy of any story or statement he gets very upset and rude, often implying that you got the facts wrong or heard him wrong etc.
In the last couple years, the harmless lies have escalated and become more crafted to cast other people in a bad light. A few of our mutual friends have just walked away completely when it came out that this guy is now telling lies about other people behind their backs and has really caused a lot of disharmony in our group of friends.
Add to this, he has started bringing an escort around to dinners and events and telling everyone that this is his boy friend and got down right hostile when a friend asked whether this was a financial arrangement. He wants all of us to act like he is dating this escort and corrected me the other day when I introduced the escort as his friend, that the escort is his boyfriend. I feel like this is the straw that broke the camels back because he basically shamed me for not telling his lie for him. It took all the strength I had not to call him out right then and there.
I kind of want this person not only out of my life but out of my friends' lives but not sure what to do. Confronting him is pointless as I have seen him deflect confrontations and then turn around and harass the person with lies and gossip. Short of an intervention, no idea how to handle this. The worst part is I see him all the time and am afraid I am just going to blow up at him the next lie he tells me.
Any suggestions would be great!
In the last couple years, the harmless lies have escalated and become more crafted to cast other people in a bad light. A few of our mutual friends have just walked away completely when it came out that this guy is now telling lies about other people behind their backs and has really caused a lot of disharmony in our group of friends.
Add to this, he has started bringing an escort around to dinners and events and telling everyone that this is his boy friend and got down right hostile when a friend asked whether this was a financial arrangement. He wants all of us to act like he is dating this escort and corrected me the other day when I introduced the escort as his friend, that the escort is his boyfriend. I feel like this is the straw that broke the camels back because he basically shamed me for not telling his lie for him. It took all the strength I had not to call him out right then and there.
I kind of want this person not only out of my life but out of my friends' lives but not sure what to do. Confronting him is pointless as I have seen him deflect confrontations and then turn around and harass the person with lies and gossip. Short of an intervention, no idea how to handle this. The worst part is I see him all the time and am afraid I am just going to blow up at him the next lie he tells me.
Any suggestions would be great!
