Friends who are they how long do you have them part 1

      What is the defining point of being Friends?

After three cups of coffee and a nap I came to a revelation. I had to pee (oops tmi) so after that I started thinking about the differences in what a friend can be. Time changes all people change sometimes they become too immersed in their own lives to keep up relationships. I would say I have had that problem in an alteration I had the time just was running with a light house keeper running my brain. If you really think about it there are so many people you meet in life that you think you’ll never lose contact with and always friends. It appears that is really a fantasy for the majority of us. One thing that is constant in this scenario is that Family never goes anywhere so I will be excluding them from this discussion. You meet fascinating people at all times of your life but what are the reasons they stick in your life? What is the factor that makes the bond stick? At this point of my life I have found reasons on why friendships end. The loss of a friend thru disconnection is not a final ending just more if we meet again to rekindle. There of course are reasons friendships can end thru other means like a fight or change in philosophy or just a change in circle of friends.

Todd.

This is the first coming to mind from Elementary thru High School we were best friends. I even was babysat at his house as a toddler so that is where we started to be friends. Social standards for us were the same poor white people wearing hand me downs and getting picked on a lot. In Elementary we were in band together and no on like Todd to get our Band Director to lose his mind. On Field trip for band almost had our band director strangling him for just being annoying. As we both grew older we were in more activities together in Choir we performed duets at state level competition and got the highest rating level I. we were usually underprepared so we would ride around in his car and sing. I am reminded of a day in Marching Band at Balloon Days parade in Creston where we had Brand new marching band uniforms. Todd came back with a Helium balloon and started to suck on it and make the funny sound. I told him he had better quit before Band Directors see’s him. Todd did not at all he took on another balloon and then dropped like a stone as he blacked out. All you could here was the Band Director YELLING “GET HIM OFF THE GROUND NOW!!!!!!!!!!” All thru High School we did Speech Improv and drove Band director crazy to a point that reenacting the Chris Farley Bee’s scene in marching band almost got him expelled from school. I laughed so hard he literally thru his tuba on the ground and started running like a mad man with Band director after him. Football was another shared activity we were workout buddies and both offensive and defensive linemen. My junior year I got a job at Taco John’s and a few months later Todd started there too one day he came in with his mother on his day off. I was on the line so he ordered burritos and I had the counter person push a drink but Todd refused. What he did not know is that I loaded his Burrito’s with super hot Sauce and all of us were snickering.  He came to school the next day and yelled at me about how he had nothing to drink and his mouth burned all the way home. Looking back at all of this you would think we would still be good friends.

 The last thing I think about is my senior year we were in the gym playing wuffle ball. I was at Home plate and Todd was on base and he made a comment “I’m coming for you Hughes” and then the ball was hit and as he was hauling like a freight train home I moved out of the way. Todd changes course to make sure he got me and boy he won the contact flip me on my head on concrete. I woke up on a stretcher heading out of the school and this was a day before Prom. So I Had a concussion and my Girlfriend had to carry me neck brace and all thru the promenade it was rough. Todd and I being the friends we were danced and then had our picture taken for the year book. After High School we took a trip to Europe with the Iowa Ambassadors of Music group. I even lived with him after I got back when I found I was Homeless. Then shortly after high school we stopped talking he disappeared. Todd got lost in the world of Crank and other drugs. I would see him at the old job from time to time and really it was frightening he was shrinking teeth rotting out and shaking. That was the end of our friendship I have not spoken to him or seen him in years. This picture of us on top of Matterhorn will always be what our friendship was.

The Creston Gang 

The gang consisted of a group of people that all worked at the same place. The group started when I met Jeremy while working at Taco John’s. We became instant friends and started to hang out all the time and cruise the strip of Creston. He then suggested I get a job working with kids so I applied. My First day in training a beautiful woman named Shannon dump like 100 gallons of water all over my shoes. This started the Three Amigo’s two of the closest friends you could have. We all worked the same place and Shannon being over 21 became our boo’s supplier, we had a lot of parties at her house some really crazy nights. Jeremy and I were like married always arguing and hanging together then going on road trips to nowhere in the middle of the night. Jeremy and I moved in together for a short stint in a 2 bedroom in Creston. Then Jim joined us in a loft apartment in downtown Creston.  So we had a routine of playing football watching movies hanging out with our girlfriends and working. The Loft became the Hang out and Party central we had all sorts of great parties up there. A New Years Eve toga Party that went down in the history books as a wild night. Kindrea came into the gang shortly after we started working with her she was shy but we worked her out of the shell. On occasion my friends from college would come up for a shindig looking back at that time I had so many great friends at that time. A lot of my college friends are still friends today or I know if I ever see them again would be fun. The core Gang however that has a lasting effect on my life.

Jeremy and I went on one of the best vacations I have ever had to this day to camping in the Ozarks. We packed up the tempo and blew our paychecks on camping stuff and found the wilderness. We also had a great time at miniature golf and go- carting. We also had fun at work and then would go back to the loft and party or Watch “Empire Records” over and over. Shannon and I would go cruising listening to R&B. We also would watch “Soulfood” over and over at her place. As roommates and friends we experienced fights and great times. A tradition of the gang was to go to the local Happy Shit (chef) as that is what I wrote on a check one night. Sitting up all night talking about what we want to be or about girlfriend or boyfriend issues. When Jim moved out to go to School Kindrea moved in and slowly the gang started to dissipate as life does.  Jeremy, Kindrea and I went to Colorado for spring break for vacation it was a fun trip we saw a lot of state. As time went on Shannon moved away and Kindrea and I had a relationship and Jeremy and I grew apart. Any things I did to cause harm I am sorry about it. It amazes me that after all we been thru and of the gang I am Friends with just Shannon who is still my best friend for life. I love her and wish I lived near her and extremely happy that she is having kids and living a good life in Colorado.  There are many others in the Creston some I am still good friends with and thankful for. 

This is Part one of the Friends Blog as I realize your eye strain and time are precious. I really do appreciate any feedback about this Blog.  As I was writing this I watched “Empire Records” to feel like I was back in that setting as I do miss part of it and the people.  More to come soon…