In isolation, no one sign indicates a “slow fade” is actually occurring. Put a few signs together, however, and you may very well have a slow fader on your hands, one who is hoping he will be that lucky S.O.B. whose woman does his dirty work for him by dumping him first. Some of the signs include: his texts and emails become short and not so sweet, he is suddenly very “busy”, he has so many family problems, he gets sick