Best friends.

He called me tonight and I knew, from the moment he said "Hi," that he was upset. I asked what was wrong and he told me a bit hesitantly, I'm guessing because he didn't want to think about it that much.

His father just left to go back overseas and I'm trying to figure out how he's doing. I know that he's not well. He isn't really one to talk about those things. He always looks out for other people. I wonder if it's time I started looking out a bit more for him. Took care of him a little more. I think I'll have time for that this summer.

He asked, more like stated, how me and that kid were doing, even though I had already told him and I'm sure he just wanted to change the subject, so I complied and launched into a tale of yesterday evening and then we talked about the Regents.

I don't know what we are. I know that he deserves to be happy and to have peace more than anything else. He has too much responsibility. Or maybe it's not even responsibility, but he just has too much to deal with. I swear he's one of the best people I know. People like him don't deserve this. At least he's blessed with a rational mind.

I invited myself over for a movie that we hadn't yet seen. I tried running to his house but I got one block away from mine and I was already completely soaked. I had been hoping for a run through the rain but that hope was dashed. I ran back home and changed and got my umbrella, then ran out again and fell in the lobby. And stood back up immediately and walked quickly down Avenue A because I couldn't run, my stomach hurt.

I got to his house and we left to get the movie and something to eat. People smiled at us at Two Boots and at the supermarket. I asked him if he had seen Simon, though I knew he hadn't. I almost miss Simon, maybe I do. I miss fifth grade and sixth grade and those weird songs we made up. We took a long time deciding what flavour of ice cream we ought to get. There was no Cherry Garcia. So we got my favourite, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and his pizza got cold from all the time we stood in front of the freezer holding the door open. I stole two bites and put the rest in his mouth as he looked for the coupon for a free pint of Ben & Jerry's. We left Key Food very content.

Come January and maybe then it's time to get concerned. But even so, we've got seven months to kill and eleven years behind us.