Source: Pexels/Reddit

Some losses don’t come from death- they come from watching people who once felt like family become like total strangers. Fewer things sting more than realizing the history you shared can’t always be salvaged.

What would you do if your closest allies in your incredibly small town randomly cut ties with you? One woman shared her unhinged reaction to this recently with Reddit. Here’s what went down.

Want me to drop it off? Ok!

I live in what people call a rural small town.

And what others call a ghost town.

We have a population of 500 people.. spanning 57 miles.

Sounds like something out of a horror movie.

If you don’t want to get price gouged by the one and only family owned grocery store the nearest town with Costco’s and Walmarts and stuff is an hour and a half away.

The population is mostly people who grew up there.

Mostly elderly who spent their entire lives there.

Seems like the make up you’d expect.

And their longevity isn’t… long anymore.

Population is decreasing faster than it can be replenished.

Haven’t always lived here.

Interesting choice to move there…

Not until I had my daughter and moved in with family.

But pretty much everyone around here I have known since I was born.

Unfortunately I was taken advantage of by the man who owns the only store in town.

That’s a tragic set of circumstances.

When I finally spoke out I lost pretty much everyone they weren’t gonna make this man mad.

Only a few people were on my side and helped me.

One couple the most.

It’s so important to have good people in your corner.

Let’s call them J and his wife T.

They have always been the kindest.

We’ve spent a lot of time together over the years and they have a close relationship with my now 5 year old.

Folks like that are great examples for a kid that age.

They are snow birds so we only see them about 5-6 months out of the year.

Last year they were the only two on my side and helped me with it all.

J came to me one day and handed me a house key.

That’s wildly generous.

Explained that I’m always welcome.

That while they are gone I can use it as sanctuary.

A place to go to have a minute alone.

Everybody could use a place like that.

It’s only three houses away.

He said no matter what I’d always be welcome and the next time I saw his wife T she said the same exact thing.

We had a hard time parting last year.

Seems perfectly understandable.

Tears were shed.

Almost every day they sent me local job postings and check in and asking for pics of my little girl.

Always asking how I was and I’d do it in return.

Sounds like a beautiful reciprocal relationship.

I never once went to the house.

It’s a beautiful place.

Honestly could be considered a sanctuary.

It’s the thought that counts.

But I wanted to wait.

I wanted to see them and enjoy the space with them.

Two weeks before Easter they both texted and said we can’t wait to see you and your daughter we will be home Easter Day and can meet up at the house the next day.

Seems like that would be a beautiful day.

So Easter came and went.

I reached out.

Suddenly no responses.

Well…that’s certainly bizarre.

Two days ago I reached out to J.

I’ve been fighting for a position at the hospital daycare half hour away and after 4 interviews got it.

Told him and he ignored it. Whatever.

But why the sudden shift?

Figured they were busy settling in.

Last night he simply texted me: “Enjoy the good life”, I said thanks and expressed my excitement to reunite.

At 7am he texted me saying: “If you’re not busy I’d like my house key back I’d like you to drop it off”.

Hmm, it’s bizarre but maybe not ill intentioned?

At that point it all came together.

For whatever reason I’m completely cut off. No explication.

I know there’s two sides to every story but I’ve known them since childhood.

This seems like something that could be put to bed with one conversation.

Every word we’ve ever exchanged was love and support and hobbies and all that.

I said ok no problem. I’ll drop it off tonight after work.

I did infact drop it off.

Well that sounds ominous…

I put it in a tiny very tightly sealed container with a note.

So after work I drove down our back street.

They were both waiting up watching we through.

Maybe they were expecting a confrontation?

The window clearly expecting me to get out and bring it to them.

But just as it said in my note.

Hope this key finds you well.

Not sure that’s as clever as she thinks it is…

I have now DROPPED it off.

I did infact drop it off.

Make sure to turn my phone flashlight on so they could see me DROP it off.

OP clearly has a flair for the dramatic.

The shock I saw on them through the window was priceless.

I waited. Five minutes later got a text very angry he was.

I didn’t bother to read it.

She doesn’t seem to realize she could find the answers she’s looking for quite easily.

Simply said “I told you I’d DROP it off and I did. “ and blocked him.

Maybe it’s not huge and mostly petty but… I did maliciously comply to his request.

Yikes, there’s a whole lot of doing here when there should be a lot more talking. Let’s see what the Reddit detectives had to say about this mystery.

The comments were a mixed bag.

And most felt the situation was salvageable.

One person offered some sad but practical advice.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a man who stopped salting his neighbors’ driveways when they wouldn’t stop driving through his yard.

Others were not as moved.

But someone else thought to ask the important questions.

She’s holding the key to their hearts and she knows how to wield it.