Taking Applications For A New Best Friend...

OK, sorry it's not a controversial or thought-provoking topic, just a human interest story.

I'm not necessarily talking about a best friend or confidante, I guess, I'm more talking about activity pals, people to go to the movies with, or just hang out with. It's kind of taken for granted that one should have this gang of pals one feels comfortable doing this sort of thing with.

But what happens when you don't have one? Your former friends are all partnered up, and it's awkward being the third wheel. You've moved so much that your actual best friends live thousands of miles away, and the interweb only goes so far in keeping you in contact with them, it's not like you can ask them to go to the movies on a Saturday night.

We talk a lot about the loneliness of not having a partner. But a partner doesn't necessarily solve all loneliness.

I thought this was

"Taking Job applications for a friend" i.e. they hire you but your friend takes the job, and as Human Resources don't keep up with you in large firms, it's about a year until they see the employee 'again', by which time they've forgotten what you 'used' to look like. Classic or Dud.

I thought I had a best friend, but I can't tell anymore.

If only it were that simple, that you could just take applications, and hire a new best friend like one hires minions. I suppose that's what celebrities have PA's for. Heh.

No, wait, I'm not that pathetic. Yet.

x-post

I have a few people, maybe three or four, who I refer to as my "best friend". One of them is Billy, who I work with but who is leaving today to take up a lectureship in Aberdeen. Last night I made him some brownies. He gave me a bottle of a rioja as a goodbye present. We talk about shit at work and occasionally go for a beer together. I don't see my "best friends" as often as I see other friends, generally (obviously I see Billy everyday).