a friend with two ears

it’s always tough to tell where you stand with a friend. are you friends, in the Facebook sense, or friends, where he would bail you out of jail, or friends, where she would be in there with you? like anything important, the bonds of friendship are intangible.

but there are ways to make friendship at least somewhat tangible. and our insecurities need this tangibility. we need to know. this is why you see many a highschooler with sprawling Facebook “families”, and why we mark our territory so strongly in others’ yearbooks. we like to know we’re not alone.

…

so you’re walking to class. heading from a bed you didn’t want to leave toward a lecture you don’t want to hear. the teal sky and brilliant sun taunt you from above. an incorrigible booger lingers on nostril’s edge.

life is hard.

something in your periphery — a familiar human approaches! eye contact. few things are as comfortable as comfortable eye contact. you smile inwardly to yourself. oh, the joy of common humanity. come hither, human!

oh, he’s listening to music. music is such a good friend. how could i, a mere human, possibly compare? will i get a wave, and no more? will he take one earbud out? will he even hear my hopeful hello, hello, hello?

Hello?

OH? HE’S REACHING WITH BOTH ARMS… TWO EARS? I GET TWO EARS? A JOYFUL HELLO? WITH A SMILE? AND A WAVE? FOR ME?

oh me oh my. be still, my heart.

whee, don’t mind mee, i’m just gallivanting to class. gallivant away!

…

so yeah, i recommend that y’all be friends with two ears and a smile, and that you look out for fellow humans on your way to class. it means a lot, even in passing.