The Past
Every few years I seem to purge my friends. The ones that remain are the ones that I just can't let go of. These are - in chronological order - Taylor, Jon, Shannon and Brian.
Taylor and I went to the same highschool. We didn't know each other well at first, and I think he may have feared me for the first few years of highschool. Near the end, however, we started hanging out with the same group of friends. We all went off to University. I lost track of them. For reasons I can't begin to outline, Taylor and I stayed in touch. I miss him dearly.
Jon was my neighbour in first year. We spent a lot of time together that year and a little less the next year. God knows where he is now. For a long time he was closer to me than most people. I wish I had his contact info now.
Shannon I knew through my ex-girlfriend Bronwyn’s group of friends. I knew of her for a long-time, but I didn't get to know her until a fairly major formal dance held at the University two years ago. Less than a week later I was sitting in an easy-chair in Pages when Shannon plopped herself down on the coffeetable before me and we chatted for a good half hour. We spent random amounts of time just hanging out and she came to be the friend that I will turn to when things have taken a turn for the worse and the first person I'll call when I've received excellent news. In the last two years I've hung out with her more than anybody else I know. Consequently, I think she knows me better than almost anyone. People who don't know us keep assuming we're a couple, and an old friend of Shannon's keeps referring to me as her 'pseudo-boyfriend.' We've gotten good at identifying the look when someone assumes. We're not though. I love her dearly and dread the time when our lives diverge.
And Brian. The fucker. He may be my best friend in the world. Yet he frustrates me to no end. It is through observation of and friendship with him that I formulated my theory of "random honesty." According to which, you say whatever comes to mind, when it comes to mind. Without fear of judgment. And are bonded to the other person so strongly that neither distance, nor time, nor annoyance can break. He's had a tough last year and I haven't been as good a friend to him as I should have been.
Taylor and I went to the same highschool. We didn't know each other well at first, and I think he may have feared me for the first few years of highschool. Near the end, however, we started hanging out with the same group of friends. We all went off to University. I lost track of them. For reasons I can't begin to outline, Taylor and I stayed in touch. I miss him dearly.
Jon was my neighbour in first year. We spent a lot of time together that year and a little less the next year. God knows where he is now. For a long time he was closer to me than most people. I wish I had his contact info now.
Shannon I knew through my ex-girlfriend Bronwyn’s group of friends. I knew of her for a long-time, but I didn't get to know her until a fairly major formal dance held at the University two years ago. Less than a week later I was sitting in an easy-chair in Pages when Shannon plopped herself down on the coffeetable before me and we chatted for a good half hour. We spent random amounts of time just hanging out and she came to be the friend that I will turn to when things have taken a turn for the worse and the first person I'll call when I've received excellent news. In the last two years I've hung out with her more than anybody else I know. Consequently, I think she knows me better than almost anyone. People who don't know us keep assuming we're a couple, and an old friend of Shannon's keeps referring to me as her 'pseudo-boyfriend.' We've gotten good at identifying the look when someone assumes. We're not though. I love her dearly and dread the time when our lives diverge.
And Brian. The fucker. He may be my best friend in the world. Yet he frustrates me to no end. It is through observation of and friendship with him that I formulated my theory of "random honesty." According to which, you say whatever comes to mind, when it comes to mind. Without fear of judgment. And are bonded to the other person so strongly that neither distance, nor time, nor annoyance can break. He's had a tough last year and I haven't been as good a friend to him as I should have been.
