I have a sensitive problem. I made friends with someone that I probably shouldn't have. He's a nice enough guy, but he thinks that I have nothing better to do than to deal with him. He's too needy. I made the mistake of giving him my phone number, and now he calls me all the time. I suspect that he probably doesn't have another friend in the world, and I feel for him. But he is beginning to aggrivate the s**t out of me (pardon my french). He keeps bugging me I.e. Leaving me voicemails, wanting me to return his calls, etc. I have a life that he keeps inturrupting.

How do I tactfully handle this? How do I keep this friend - at a distance?

That's a rough one but it usually comes down to you have to tell him to back off. I know it's easy for me to say that and may not be so easy for you to do.