...I have more friends in places I've moved to than I *ever* had in my
hometown. And a lot of people that I might not have even considered
"friends" in these places have shown me far more consideration than I've
ever gotten in my home town. To this day.
> I think some people have very loose definitions of what friends are.
> Meet some folks and play music with them and they are friends? I think,
> maybe yes, and maybe no, but it shouldn't make a lot of difference. You
> don't have to be friends to be pleasant.
>
I have a very clear and strict definition of those whom I call "true
friends". The rest are "acquaintances". But of late I've found quite a
few of my "acquaintances" to be far more reliable in ways and situations
I may never have expected of them. My closest friend is having a real
hard time accepting the limitations of state of my health...I can
understand that, to a point.
We just lost one of the good ones in a motorcycle accident this past
Saturday...we're all sort of still in shock. He was a really decent guy
and was just out of the day having a good time with a few of the other
guys from work. Good day, good guys, tragic ending. Sucks.
> Funny thing is, about my old hometown friends is, we stay in touch, and
> when they are in town they can stop by and spend the night or whatever,
> but I just don't really want to "hang out" that much anymore. They were
> old party friends and I don't party like I used to. I guess I just grew
> out of them, and they of me. My oldest friend and I stay in touch, but
> he's become so opinionated about politics that I can't stand to be
> around him for very long.
I never really hung out with many people in my home town...I was always
an outcast - mostly because I did what interested *me* and have never
been one to follow a crowd or a "trend". And most of the people I did
hang out with during my high school days are either dead or in jail now.
Seriously. I go home to see my family (whom are great), and not much
more. I left my hometown behind at 17 and have never looked back,
except to be glad not to live there.
My old college roomie - whom started me playing guitar, and taught me a
lot of the basics of what I know - lives a couple towns away...I keep in
touch with him and his wife and kids. I see them once a year, and maybe
e-mail back and fourth with his wife - whom I introduced him to. We
don't play together, because he doesn't play anymore - even though he
still has his gear.
--
- Rufus