Types of Friends
I was once warned by a friend that if I continue to talk to this other friend, my friend would ‘unfriend’ me. In his own words, I don’t friend you already. That was in the mid 80s in primary school, decades before Facebook. After marble game sessions and coca-cola, we’re all friends again.
Over the years, I have met people from various nationalities, race, and religion, in school, work places, and overseas trips. Some were colleagues, classmates, schoolmates, hi-bye friends, and some long time friends.
In the ‘long time friends’ category, there were those who hang out with you through thick and thin, some meets you once a year or every few years. Some only communicate through messages, no phone calls, no meet ups. They were always busy and missed appointments at the very last minute. I have some friends that I don’t meet very often but once I need them, they would appear. They show support and genuine concern. We may not share common views but we share a bond. What bond? I don’t know.
I’ve witnesses friends that clanged to each other for decades but bitch behind each others’ backs. There were groups that take pride in comparing and competing in their possessions and achievements. There were also the group that meet up (online and off) to complain.
Some friends look at you with pity when you chose a different path in life (me for writing) as compared to the others (office workers). They often ask you whether are you okay and from their eyes you could tell that they worry whether you have money or making money when you are not making an income in the conventional means.
When you prefer to be home, there would be friends that label you as ‘anti-social’. When you don’t share photos of your recent trip you’ll be labelled ‘selfish’. And then, you meet the friends that sees you only once a year, feel their support and everything is good again.
