This has been the topic of discussion on many a occasion and lately I've seen it played out in scenarios on ABC's Primetime! Today I read an article on slate.com where a woman was asking "Dear Prudence" for advice because she somehow messed up her friend's relationship with the friend's husband because she made it slip that he has a secret he's keeping from her! This was done in the heat of the moment when she was 'bending' her friend's ear about her relationship with her selfish boyfriend who doesn't want to get married because their relationship would change and he's happy the way they are now!
On Primetime, they set up scenarios with the permission of a couple, wherein the man would be at a restaurant with another woman, being too familiar with each other, and the best friend would be there, 'catching' him and not knowing what to do!
The scenario played out that the friend, text the boyfriend to say she was there and could see everything he was doing. The boyfriend would look guilty and quickly leave with the 'woman' and then the best friend would be in a quandary as to whether or not she should say anything to her friend about it!
It's been interesting to see what each person in the situation does. While the women who have been in that situation end up telling their friend, which I think is a good thing, they usually are really troubled on what they should do and how they should go about telling their friend.
I would prefer to know that my friend is looking out for my interest and would want to know what's going on! Otherwise, she wouldn't be a good friend. Because if she can't tell me something like that, then there would be something wrong with our relationship! I can appreciate however, the angst and foreboding my best friend would feel about it, the way those women did!
You know what would be interesting though, if they put a man in that role, I would love to see what a guy's reaction would be and if he would tell his buddy about it!