Deep

The last line in the great movie "Stand By Me" (in which, during the NYE Scene It game extravaganza I answered a question about--correctly, of course) is "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?".

I remember being about twelve at the time (maybe more like 13) and thinking that was so profound. And it is. However, being nomadic and teens being fickle, I don't really know anyone that I knew when I was 12 (except M.M. now M.B and Mom to 3 Boys). However, the friends I made at 15 and 16, well, those were great friends and still are great friends (Er-Bear, Baby J, J MacB). Tonight a friend called and was sad and there was nothing I could do--I am here--they are there. It just kills me. And it got me thinking....

These days we use the word friend when we mean acquaintance or nice guy or fun girl in the cubicle next to mine that I like to each lunch with. However, I don't think many of us would call them in the middle of the night (or call them at all). Still, we call them 'friends'. And I have friends, the kind mentioned above and real friends, here, there, and everywhere but I think those that stand by you (pun intended) even after the years have jaded us and perhaps we're wiser and pickier about making friends, that see you and still like you, deserve a special status.

So to those friends that read this, the ones I've known forever, the ones who've held my hair or answered the phone at 3 a.m. or cleaned up my dirty dishes yet again, Thanks.