Flaky friends can be the worst, but sometimes they flake with good reason.

While there are plenty of annoying people who will use any stupid excuse to cancel plans that you have been looking forward to, others just suffer from bad luck that leads to them missing out. Maybe they get sick, they can’t find a babysitter, or they have a commitment that they really can’t get out of at work. There are genuine explanations for why somebody may not be able to make it, and they are generally worse to experience when you are the person who is dealing with them.

At the same time, it isn’t fun to be the person who gets flaked on. It can completely change the plans at hand, and sometimes cancel them altogether. Being left to pick up the pieces can be upsetting, even if the other person has a legitimate reason for not being able to come. Nobody wants to feel like their efforts were in vain, not least when it comes to having fun. You can be left wanting some kind of repayment that may not be forthcoming. There are times when plans simply don’t work out, and it is important to accept that.