Give me one reason...

High School. It was like prison to me. And I admit my best friend at the time, Jo, made it a lot more bearable. She was tuned in to all the Mexican cut-parties and beer-laden gatherings. Sure, we were all underage but I wasn’t a drinker back then. It was rare if I took in 4 ounces of Corona with lime and salt. After all, could I really go home (supposedly) from school drunk? No. My mom would see through that like a sheer blouse. So I took it easy.

Jo was tall, slightly odd-looking and thin as a model back in school. When I first met her, I didn’t like her too much. Her full first name was hard for me to remember. So the third time we met she wrote her name in a margin of my notebook along with her phone number. I called her that night. It amazed me how we could talk about little to nothing and still be laughing on the phone. Her laugh was entertaining at least. I called her the next day. Eventually we started walking from school to the bus stop together. Our friendship grew like flames in a room stacked high with newspapers. Before too long anywhere you see her, you see me. We were Siamese twins with an invisible flesh and muscle link.

I consider myself to be a good friend. I was a loyal friend. I stood by her and did my best to take care of her. I encouraged her. Lifted her up, emtionally. I even doted on her a little. But at the first sign of a guy (for her) I was gone from her life. I was lucky to get a phone call. The newfound alienation did a lot for me, though. It allowed me to draw back and see clearly, for the first time maybe, that she and I weren’t really best friends. She had actually treated me rather shabbily. I made the decision to move on with my life.

And now, it seems she’s trying to reforge a friendship. I just wonder, why should I be bothered? I gave her every opportunity to be a good friend. I was fair and good. I tried. And now, she’s called me with a serious hint of sadness in her voice. She wants to talk to me; idle with boredom. By really, why should I be bothered? What wasn’t good 6 years ago is probably worse 6 years later.... right?