Internet-iquette??

Back from vacation... my first priority tonight was to catch up on a week's worth of internet activities that stacked up. But while reading three-day old emails and trolling my regular sites, I chance-noticed something...

While I was gone, someone at a certain site, removed me from their friends list!

I have no idea why they did this and I'm unfamiliar with the ettiquette for what I should do about it.

Funny... when someone adds you as a friend at these sites it's like the entire web does a jig and pats itself on the back.

Congratulations! User54 has added you as a Friend! May our Lord and Savior bless your friendship with lol's and a multitude of smiling emoticons!

It's the internet equivalent of receiving a bouquet of balloons. It has absolutely no value, but it still makes you smile.

But the site chose not to inform me when my "friend" removed me from their list. Was it just too awkward for them? Not even a simple form email?

Dear Harold -- We're sorry to inform you that User54 has banished you from their friend's list. This was not a mistake, as we asked if they were sure about their decision and they confirmed.

Twice.

We should also mention that User54 didn't do this to anyone else, just you. They quite deliberately scrolled down, found your name and hit delete.

We've also noticed that User54 has lots of friends and you have very few. Perhaps this would be a good time to refrain from finger-pointing and instead take a long look in the mirror and consider what kind of friend you really are.

I've thought of removing this person from my own list as a form of retaliation. But this action is flawed for two reasons. First, it implies that I care (which I do, but I don't want them to know that). And second, it reeks of pettiness (which I'm usually not). But what good is having a friend on your list if they've turned their back on you? It would be living a lie for me to go on with life as usual.

I should also mention that this friend is not even someone I've ever met. We exchanged a handful of quips, then an obligatory message made us friends. You might think this would diminish the impact of being defriended, but it actually does the opposite. I can't make any of the usual me excuses for this -- I know that something I said was not taken well.

What's the protocol here? Should I write this person? Why don't you like me? What did I do? At least if we'd met, you could say I had egg-breath. Or see that I have stupid hair. Instead, it was my callous, careless words. Which ones? Let me know because I probably think they're funny and am running around using them on other people.

I feel my only option is to accidentally delete my entire account at this particular service, start over, add back my other friends, then simply forget to add back this one person. Oh silly me! -- did I miss someone??

That way, instead of appearing neurotic and petty, I can simply appear forgetful and incompetent.

It's actually close enough to the truth that it wouldn't be a lie.