Friends III

The “friends” topic keeps following me wherever I go this week. I notice that as we get older, our friends status is different than when we were students. As a student, the people you hang out with are pretty much like you. Yes, richer or poorer, taller or shorter and so on, but still the things you face as, say, a 13 year old, are similar. My post exercise this morning is to superimpose the alphabet over 26 of my friends’ status.

A is pregnant — FINALLY — she has wanted it for so long.

B is riddled with cancer. That on top of being HIV positive and still recovering from heart surgery.

C and D just celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary. C is not making as much as he had envisioned and is debating taking a job in another city.

E and F are braving F’s cancer. E is going to school and keeping a positive enthusiasm despite his wife’s cancer. F is taking a little longer getting past her chemo.

G is puzzled why H won’t speak to him anymore. Just because G woke up a year ago, announced that their relationship was a sham and over immediately, doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends. Uh, yeah.

I and J are having a tough time because I is depressed and going through a major midlife crisis. J is there for him.

K has a crush on L (he is 3 years younger) and this is the best one yet. Go easy K, this one is a keeper.

M has Crohn’s disease and balance issues. Some days are great. Some days are just terrible.

N has been waiting for the phone to ring and his old employer to hire him back.

O is transitioning from a post of relative political power back to a civilian, and after a real bumpy time, is doing much better.

P is seeing his pot business diminish because of the booming medical marijuana stores in California. Wow, brave new world.

Q has successfully made the transition from Christian mystic to film maker.

R’s eye twitch has disappeared with botox but now her smile is very weird looking.

S is 94 now and younger than most of my friends.

T is 88 and is more active and loving life than most.

U and V have, after 30-some years together, learned to celebrate time apart and still love each other till death separates them.

W has a good job but wishes it were more secure, especially at her age.

X is gaining more and more weight.

Y and Z now have a baby and we never see them anymore.