Selection from Play The Friend of Fortune : Fakespeare
Probably one of the more famous things Bill Fakespeare (IG Agent 42) ever said was “A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” that time he bribed an old high school buddy working as a DEA agent to turn a blind eye to his extensive shroom growing empire.
Thankfully this was captured on a wiretap or this bit of wisdom would have been vanished for the ages.
Interestingly this quote relates to a play that Bill was writing at the time that covered the same themes of friendship, and what requirements we have to our friends when circumstances change, from which we have excerpted a section below.
from the third act:
Dickie: Whether Fortunato’s friend I know not, I calculate you more Fortune’s friend.
Meschershmidt Hogan: I say I am friend to both, a friend is one who knows you as you are. I know Fortunato is poor, and fortune is to be rich. To be poor is bad and to be rich is good. I therefore prefer my friend fortune to my friend Fortunato, as surely he would also, if we but asked. To know requires that one understands.
Dickie: I have not understood a woman singular, but known the many plural.
Meschershmidt Hogan: Friend Dickie, I am expanding on my wit, please decrease your folly. To know requires that one understands. Therefore in knowing that Fortunato is poor I understand that he was once rich, and that fortune still is what Fortunato once was. I was a friend to Fortunato in his glory, glorious fortune am I still in favor of.
Dickie: You are steadfast.
Mescherschmidt Hogan: I accept what Fortunato now is, poor, just as I accept fortune as fortune is.
Dickie: You are fortunate.
Mescherschmidt Hogan: I have been favored. But tell me, is Fortunato not a tall man?
Dickie: he is.
Mescherschmidt Hogan: And do you expect him to grow.
Dickie: Not a jot.
Mescherschmidt Hogan: Neither do I, that is his tragedy. A fortune is remunerary, expansionary, and not at all airy. Fortunato is not, not, and too much of late. I say this as a friend of both.
This quick article on IG Agent 42 — Bill Fakespeare — was written by IG Agent 13.
Previous Fakespeare story — https://medium.com/luminasticity/fakespeare-fakespeare-9d7b71be6498
