wise words Helen...what (or who)is unattainable is attractive not just because it is forbidden and thus taboo, but because, at the end of the day, one does not really have to "commit" to it...I wonder about my own past behavior in this regard. If I really wanted to have a relationship with someone who lived nearby, wouldn't I just be able to find one?

As for Clueless Joe's situation, it's hard to comment not   knowing the particulars, but friendship is always going to survive longer than romance or lust, generally speaking. If your friend does not contact you within a few months, send her a card letting her know   you miss her friendship and would like to have a chat.