2. In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to
the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary
halls.
3. In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped
you stand up to the class bully.
4. In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared
their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.
5. In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was
willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to
be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.
6. In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat
on the back of the bus for you.
7. In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to
Nick or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so
that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.
8. In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you
copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had
forgotten about, and not charge you a fee for stealing their words.
9. In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped
you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so that your
room would be a "high schooler's" room, but didn't laugh at you when you
finished and broke out into tears.
10. In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went
with you to that "cool" party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up
being the only freshman there.
11. In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who
changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch.
12. In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend was the person who
gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you
shouldn't be grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick or
Susan, and found you a date to the prom.
13. In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who
helped you pick out a college, assured you that you would get into that
college, helped you deal with your parents who were having a hard time
adjusting to the idea of letting you go...
14. At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was
crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as
they congratulated you.
15. The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you
sneak out of the house when you just couldn't deal with your parents,
assured you that now that you and Nick or you and Susan were back
together, you could make through anything, helped you pack up for
college and just silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes
at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those
last days of childhood, went out of their way to come over an send you
off with a hug, a lot of memories, reassurance that you would make it in
college as well as you had these past 18 years, and most importantly
sent you off to college knowing you were loved.
16. Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you
the better of the two choices, hold your hand when you're scared, helps
you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at
times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten,
helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold
on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence,
goes out of their way to make time for you, helps you clear up your
mistakes, helps you deal with pressure from others, smiles for youwhen
they are sad, helps you become a better person, and most importantly
loves you!
Okay, so it got a little flowery at the end, there...
----
adam@cs.caltech.edu
I'm so ugly, but that's okay, 'cause so are you.
-- Nirvana