The most frustrating thing

I was contacted by an old friend in January, the day I broke my back, actually. I was excited about rekindling the friendship; we'd had no contact in almost 5 years. I wrote back as soon as I was lucid long enough, (Jan 23) and I just got a really mean email from him, saying some pretty nasty things about me. Apparently he didn't get my reply, and he thought I was blowing him off.

This really upset me, for several reasons. First of all, the things he said were not true. At least I don't think they are. They might or might not have been true 5 years ago, but it's unfair for him to say those things about me when he doesn't know me anymore, and he has no basis for the judgment! (That's the second reason it upset me - no basis for the statements). Finally, I really wanted to be friends again! It really bothers me that he had this severe a reaction. To me this says that he really needs friends, but it makes it harder to do so!

I wrote him back, copied the old email, and told him that I'm sorry he feels this way. What else can I do? He's angry for something that didn't happen. He thinks I abandoned him, and I did not! Quite the opposite, I told him in the old email that he could call me anytime, and please do, and if you ever come to Boston you can totally stay with us and please do! I was totally open to the possibility of reopening those doors.

I just hope he replies. That's all I can do. Maybe I'll call his mom and get his phone number. I don't know if he wants to talk to me, but I need him to know that I am not that person he thinks I am, and that I honestly do care about him. And I think he needs to know that too! It's just frustrating...