When one of my old HS buddies stayed at my house when my kids were in Middle School, my youngest daughter made a remark that stuck in my brain. My HS buddy made some disparaging remarks about me and my career choice. So many that his five day stay became less than 48 hours.

My daughter had pulled me aside the night he stayed over and said:
"Dad, are you sure you are best friends, and not best friends 18 years ago?"
That opened my eyes. And I thought about my real Best Friend...Ed.

Ed and I met in Sixth grade. I was a little inner city kid who moved to the Suburbs in the middle of the School year. I met Ed (and his sister) who became by far the two most important people in my life for the next eight years.

I met them at the Bus stop. Those two were introverts, I was not. Ed told me later that he never met anyone who could talk to just about anyone like me. And he wished that sometimes I would just shut up. LOL

So it turned out when the bus got to school, I was in Ed's Class. His sister was in Fourth grade at the same school. After recess, a kid named Jamie (the biggest kid in Class by a good eight inches or more, and probably fifty pounds) pulled Ed's pants down in front of the whole Class. Ed was so embarrassed he sat at his desk and sweated right through his clothes.

I went over to see if he was okay. He told me to go away, that I was just like the rest of them. I told him he was wrong. Then he asked me why I came over to his desk. I told him he was kind to me on the bus, and so was his sister. So I liked him. And that made him my friend in my mind.

So I asked him if he wanted me to kick Jamie's ass. His eyes grew wide. I was, by far, the smallest kid in the Class. You had to go down to Second grade to find someone my size. I was a bit more stocky than a second grader, but not any taller.

He smiled at me. "Really? You would kick Jamie's ass for me?"

"Sure. I hate bullies. No problem."

I turned and yelled:

"Hey Jamie, come over here you creep and get your just desserts."

He towered over me. I jumped up, grabbed his pants, and pulled them and his underwear down. When he bent down to grab them. I jumped again and kicked him in the face. Then, he pulled his pants up and beat the crap out of me.

Down to the Principals Office we both go. We got yelled at. And loaded down with assignments we had a week to fulfill. That night Ed invited me over for dinner. And for the next fifty eight years we talked at least once a week.

Oh, and Jamie, well he and I had to sit together during our Detention. He asked me what the hell was wrong with me. I told him he attacked my friend. Then he made me laugh. "You know I can always tell when you get in a fight with someone."
"How do you know?"
"Because their pants below the knee are all scuffed up and torn. I know that is as high as you can reach."

And yes, Jamie became a buddy by the end of that year. He did beat my ass two more times before that happened. As he told me later. I got tired of having to fight you every couple of months...it was annoying and I know you weren't going to give up. It was just easier to become friends."

So even Bullies can change! It was the first of many experiences that Ed and I had together. He was my Hero. And still is. I never knew anyone who had a handle on who he was better than Ed did. If he said he could do it. He could. If he couldn't he told you. His ability to analyze players in Team Sports was amazing. I always thought he would be a great Coach. His attention to detail was impeccable. He stayed shy his whole life. But with a quiet strength that I envied. He had no quit in him. Ever.
In all those years, we never had a single fight. A single harsh words. And I can't even say that about my Kathy, a woman I love more than life itself.

So yeah, I think he qualifies as my Best friend. I miss him. He made me laugh. He made me feel I was something special. And he cared. The best listener on the Planet. The world is a bit worse off without him.