Friends

Now this is not about my close friends. This is about those group of humans that for some reason you shared something in common at school. I was a little bit of a loner at school and it wasn’t really till 6th form where I came into who I am today and met lots of new exciting people, who accepted me and introduced me to new music, films, comedy etc. They were a good two years, with a good holiday abroad. This time would be ended when we all went to uni.

The majority of them went to Lancaster or Manchester, and would often travel home at the weekends. Often I would come home at Christmas or Easter and catch up with them. ‘Seen any films recently? I would ask. Yeah we went to Parrswood. Would echo the reply. Now I lived right next to Parrswood and not once did they feel it would be a good idea to text or phone informing me of the plan. To them, even those that were studying in Manchester it seemed such a large place that was miles away from Macclesfield. Where Parrswood was near Stockport and therefore near there home town. Where in fact Parrswood is next to Burnage and Didsbury and is closer to where I use to live. Not that those who had gone to Manchester ever phoned me to meet up. Thats a little unfair, one did.

Now this post comes out of the fact that when ever I do pop home I get hassled that I should come home more and we should all meet up more. Now this seems nice, what I recent is the fact that I’m the one doing the travelling. Why can’t they travel to Manchester to see me. Oh hang on, this is why the issue grates on me, they do… They just don’t tell me. There have been stag doo’s, Birthdays, trips to the IMAX, meals, shopping trips, concerts, all of which we could have met up before, during or after and nothing not one phone call, just found out later in the year about it when I go home to see them and ask what you been up to?

The reason why I have now decided to write this, is because I was enjoying a drink at the Town Hall, where across the crowds I saw what resembled some people who looked liked my Macc mates. I went up to investigate further and I concluded that they were indeed my mates from back home. Pleasantries exchanged, the conversation ended with them saying, ‘We’ll have to meet up properly again soon when you’re back in Macclesfied’ I gritted my teeth and agreed. The sheer fact that they were up for the Chorlton Beer festival and didn’t even acknowledge I was about pissed me off, this was only enhanced by the fact the greeting started with “What are you doing here” eer I don’t know I live here, so I’m having a drink. If I was back in Macc and bumped into you, I wouldn’t ask what they were doing there.

Maybe these people are the reason why I respect and love my friends that I have now and get so peed when there not about. But it really does annoy me that it’s a 40 minute trip and whenever I’m back home I also text them, when ever I’m going to a city or town with work, I always phone or let people who I know who live there know I’m coming in case they want to meet up. I don’t just stomp about on their playground and then when I see them instruct that they should make more of an effort to meet up, and text them when I’m back in Macclesfield for a drink.

The sad truth is, when I did last meet up with them, I felt a felling of emptiness and started questioning what we had, and still have in common. It’s funny how you move on from friends, but still hold them in high regard as they were your first closest mates, whom you shared a common pain with, that of growing up.

But they say your friends for life you meet at university, and now you have developed as a person, you make friends not because you both find history exciting and you’re rubbish at P.E and are considered to be nerds and have just happen to be placed in the same classroom or form so decide to forge a friendship on shallow facts, you form friendships on a higher level.

Mates come and go, friends will always be around.