Dear Annie: I feel like the fifth wheel — should I just disappear?
A longtime member of a shrinking friend group says two pairs have grown especially close, leaving them feeling like a fifth wheel and considering disappearing rather than answering questions about their absence.
Dear Annie: I’ve been getting together with the same group of friends for more than 20 years. The group used to be much larger, but now there are only five of us. Two pairs have especially close friendships with each other outside the group, and I often feel like the fifth wheel.