Ever run into someone you have not seen in a while and ask about an individual with whom he or she used to pal around?

Nothing unusual about that. But every now and then, the person's clipped answer makes you wonder what happened.

I'm thinking of a time I asked a fellow about a friend of his and he answered, "I have had no contact with that person in years."

Oh, OK. I didn't press him on it, and did not want our email exchange to drift even farther off course.

But I did assume there had been some sort of falling out.