Dear Annie: I am being sidelined by close friend, who seems to prefer spending time on her phone

Dear Annie: I feel foolish even writing this, but I cannot tell if I am overreacting or if I have a real problem on my hands.

My best friend, “Dana,” and I have been close for more than 20 years. We have raised our kids together, shared holidays, taken trips and weathered the usual storms of adult life. Lately, though, something has shifted. Whenever we are together, she is glued to her phone. Not just checking it occasionally, but scrolling, texting, laughing at messages and taking calls in the middle of our conversations.

Last week, we went out for dinner to celebrate her birthday. I spent more time watching her type than I did talking to her. When I finally said, “I feel like I’m third-wheeling with your phone,” she brushed it off and said she was “multitasking.” I tried to let it go,