Dear friend

I really tak puas hati when people tell you to contact them but they never follow up. It's one thing to send unsolicited messages, but when you actually tell someone to contact you, please be aware there is the expectation of a reply.

When none comes it puts you in a difficult position. Do you ignore the blatant act of pretending you do not exist? Or do you put pressure on the person to respond? I think no one should have to put up with rude behaviour, and it is perfectly acceptable to point out to the other person of their faux pas. My friends disagree and call me psycho, and say that I should go kick a ball outside.

I suggest a compromise.

If it is too aggresive (and 'psycho') to tell off someone in person, then maybe a written letter would be more palatable. We get bad news in yellow envelopes all the time, and we never get too upset at the sender because we know they took the time to write, stick a stamp and mail the letter to us.

So, to my friend, this is what I would write:

Dear friend,

I appreciate how you’re a busy person pressed for time so I’ll keep this brief and direct. We are acquaintances and we have communicated previously, so we aren’t strangers. Though I should qualify that statement and say that we know each other in a professional context and I dare say we make a good team.

Though without a doubt our recent success is a cause worth celebrating, it is something more personal that I wish to discuss. You see, there is the issue of my dispatches that you have failed to respond to. I would understand if they were of an unsavoury nature but I am of the opinion that they were not. I believe, many outside neutral parties support me on this, that they were innocuous and frankly quite amiable. I am therefore baffled why you could totally ignore my communication, (which, might I remind, was at your request) that it becomes very difficult for me to not think of your inaction as rude and uncourteous behaviour.

Perhaps I came across as being too forward (which I highly doubt), in which case I apologise, but it does not excuse the snub.

As some speculated that you may have been unnecessarily fearful that I may be an immigrant seeking a permanent residency status, I can only say that such fears are baseless and wholly unfounded. I am a committed citizen of my country and am entirely satisfied to be a TR which, as you know, does not require the assistance of current citizens. I am fairly confident I can achieve this on my own.

I hope I have been able to clear any misconceptions and uncertainties that may have been present around this issue. I continue to sincerely extend my hand in friendship to you and all Australian citizens with the hope that we can come to a better mutual understanding of each other. Having said that, do not feel obliged to respond to this email if you do not feel like it. After all, it is only common human decency to reply another’s letter.

Sincerely,
MLH