Friend Types

I wrote the following when I was a Junior in high school.

(my present-day comments (2006) are in brackets.

I have had a lot of different experiences during the last 3 years of high school. Some have been good and some have not. Everyone thinks that his or her life is worse than the next persons'. I'm no exception. Every once and a while, people like to tell me how, 'good i have it', and every once and a while I have wanted to just shove a garden hose down all their throats and let the water flow! [and i didn't know i was gay why?] They have no idea what is going on in my life! I believe that everyone is push to their limits, by the allowance of God, [yes i was a jesus freak] in order to test their ambitions and convictions in life. I am by no means any kind of educated advice-giver, shrink, or priest, but I try and help others not to make the same mistakes I have. This is my first so-called 'advise page' that I have created all on my own. Maybe it will help you, maybe not. Maybe It'll give you a little more idea on where I'm coming from if I ever say something to you that you don't understand. Is there really any specific purpose for this pace? No...I guess I just felt that some of it needed to be said, So here it is...

There are 5 kinds of friends

1. Acquaintances- these are the friends you meet at parties and talk to whenever you 'run into each other'. Maybe they are kids you sit with at church because you would rather that than to sit with the rents. I think everyone has plenty of these.

Trust 'em? These friends cannot be trusted with anything important. It takes time and attentiveness to build up trust in a person, both of which are never much of a factor in a friendship with an acquaintance.


2. Friends By Transitivity- This is something I made up because there really isn't a name for it that I know of. I got the name from my jeometry calss, where the theory of transitivity states that "if a=b, and b=c, then a=c". Friends by transitivity are the friends that you would never hang out with if not for the fact that they are best friends with a close friend of your own. Because of this you are almost forced to spend lots of time with that person in either a grounp hangout situation, or just sitting at the lunch table everyday. Sometimes these friendships can develop into something more, but they often dont.

Trust 'em? Do not trust them without careful consideration. Just because they have been a good and trustworthy friend to YOUR friend does not require that they treat you in a likewise fashion. Be careful of everything that happens between youa nd this friend because it may have a long-lasting effect on your other friendship. Eg, If 'a' and 'c' have a fight, which side does 'b' choose?


3. Superficial- This i sthe most common type of friend! Pitiful eh? Yeah I thought so too, buyt look at your friends!! If you are like most people, you ahve lots of people you hang out with. Most of those people would stick up for you in a fight, maybe even get hurt defending you when they are grilled by the principal on where the vodka bottle came from. Maybe they'll get a little more popular by hanging out with you...wait what was that?? Yes, maybe there is a reason why they act the way they do around you. Maybe they got booted from their old clique and need a new, temporary friend to hang with. Good at math? Maybe it's their worst subject...how many times do they ask you for yesterdays homework? Dont have a hissy fit if you suddenly realize that you have a friend like this. Most likely, you are this kind of friend to someone else [never thought of that did you?]

Trust 'em? Well with some things, I suppose you could...maybe they wont tell the whole school that you screwed one of your classmates at a party last weekend. Maybe they'll even lie for you so that it doesnt get all over the school. But what happens when your parents break the news that they're getting a divorse? Where'd your friend go? They'll tell you to suck it up and move on. "LIfes a bitch, man, get over it" they'll say. Where's the support when you need it? If they're like most superficial friends, they'll decide that you are no longer 'any fun' and find a new, more exciting crowd.


4. Emotionally Influenced- to put it simply, these are friends that have a crush on you. They might have already let you know, or maybe they keep it insdie. But as long as they like you, they treat you like a king (or queen). [Seriously, didnt know i was gay...]. They are there for you when you are down. They compliment you and raise your self esteem. They keep you company when no one else will, and lend you money at lunch. Dont be fooled. They minute they find another person to replace you on their 'like list' you are no more important to them than a fly on the wall. Maybe they'll never turn their back on you...maybe they are too good of a person to betray you in the end, but most likely they are putting up a very large, very fake front. They make themselves out ot be what you like and try to do everything to make you like them. Only after time will you see the true person that they are, which is why it is never good to rush into things. That I have learned from bitter experiance. Ask around about the person before getting involved (if that is osmething you are considering). NOTE: do not *ever* trust everything you hear about a person, but listen to others so that you will know what to watch out for. Maybe you will get the hint you need to see through the front that that person has put up.

Trust 'em? No. Not unless you are completely satisfied that they are the person they pretend to be and that they are an honorable person.


5. Real (sometimes known as Best) Friends- These are...well there really isn't anything I can say in words. I guess its a gut feeling. Best friends survive over any distance, over any misunderstanding, over any hardships. The only way you can really know whether a friend is of this type is by spending innumerous hours of quality time with him/her. If you know her inside and out, and can tell them anything about you (anything). If they know the worst thing about you and its OK. Maybe you drank a little too much one night a couple of years ago and screwed the cat [I sware it wasnt me] you might never tell anyone, but you could share that with a best friend. I dont know why the hell you would want to, but if you did want to...you could! Real friends are always there to support you and help you through anything. Even if it is completely out of their way or inconvenient for them. One of the most determining factors in whether a friend is a true and honorable friend is knowing that you can have the biggest fight in teh world and end up laughing over it in teh end. Best friends know that physical things can't seperate them, and, no matter what happens, they can always depend on each other beacause love, (including brotherly love) has no boundaries. No limits. No end.


This isnt something I got out of a book, or off an email. I just thought I would write down some things I have learned about the reality of life. It might influence you, it might not. Take a look at your friends right now. See how they rate. Dont use this page as a grading scale, just observe them and how they treat you. You'll know the truth before long.

[A wise woman once said that when you die, you will be able to count your best friends on one hand]