Friends

This is one I wrote while I was stationed in korea in 2009. I had recently heard from a buddy and was just thinking about my friends.

Have you ever heard the saying, “You can count the number of friends you have on one hand.”? If you have not, than think about it and then think back to all those whom you choose to call friend. Now, how many of those do you call friend because there really isn’t another word for it or you don’t wish to call them an acquaintance? Besides, it’s pretty acceptable to use the word friend for anyone. But what really is a friend? I mean have you ever stopped to truly think about what you personally consider a friend or what someone else considers a friend?

I have used the moniker, “true friend” to describe or to separate just using the term friend loosely as I have done over the years. Friends come and go but do true friends really remain? And what do you use to gauge or judge who you call a friend versus a true friend? Or better yet, is there really a difference or do we just do it to place people in a position that we feel comfortable with in case something doesn’t go well?

But what makes up a friend? Is it the person who helps you out in a pinch? Or buys you lunch when they know you’re strapped for cash. I’m not sure how others see it, I just know what I see or consider a friend. I choose to use the two terms of friend and true friend. I do this because I feel there is a difference and I don’t feel like using the acquaintance term. It’s simpler to use friend but that too can cause you some grief. If said individual does something wrong and you use the term friend, you may get grouped into a situation. Then you have to explain that the person is not a true friend but just an acquaintance some person you know. Yeah I know, sounds retarded but hey, this is America.

Over the years I have had a lot of guys that I choose to call friends. While living in NC I had a core of friends who all rode motorcycles as did I. To this day we all stay in touch. Though the military and our personal lives have us spread across the east coast we still talk via internet, e-mail or occasional phone call. These guys I call friends. Though we have been through a lot, they have never asked me, forced me or looked at me differently because I choose not to do some of the things they may have. Nor have they left me hanging. On one such occasion we were at Bike Weekend in Myrtle Beach. It was something we did almost every year and was to be the last time I would be there with them. A buddy and I were headed back to Myrtle Beach from Atlantic beach when another cat rolled up on us. Means (one of my boys) and this other dude took off and started abusing the speed limit some. LOL. My bike was new and I was breaking it in so I pretty much just chilled. That is until I saw a cop. As he made his way to the intersection they had passed him at a high rate of speed. He never saw me trailing. So by the time he made it onto the road I had passed him. Bad timing and a scene from a movie if you ever seen one.

That’s right, the next thing I know he’s behind me and hitting the lights. See, he thought I was the one racing Means. Why? Well Means happened to be racing a black guy, blue jean shorts, white t-shirt and red bike. Guess who was wearing the same thing? When Means and the dude passed the cop he had a clear view of them. The problem was I was trailing and there was traffic. I passed the cop but he couldnt see me. A van shielded me as I went in front of him so by the time he cut his lights on and made it on to the road he could see me. Yours truly; all I could do was laugh as the officer approached and tried to explain. The officer smiled and said, “All I saw was a black guy, blue jean short, white t-shirt and red bike.” As I smiled and continued to talk to the officer about the mistake he was making Means pulled back up. He told the officer that he had indeed been racing but that it was not me. The officer applauded him for his honesty and for looking out for a friend. He also told him he should give him a ticket. But he didn’t.

That is a friend; he came back for me knowing full well it could have cost him a hefty ticket. Numerous times in my life I have been in a tough spot. And it was friends who were there to help me out.