Around the Corner

Today I called or wrote six friends, whom I hadn't chatted with in a while!  I mean to call or write my friends but then things come up and I don't.  Then a lot of time passes and I think the conversation will end up taking longer because we have that much more to catch up about and I don't have time to chat for an hour or what if they're busy or out and I'm bothering them.  Today I realized they don't want to be on the phone for very long either, so it'll be ok!

I wrote three friends and set up times to meet up with the two who live in my city, the third lives in another country. Then I called three others; one, who lives in another country didn't pick up. I talked with two of them and set up a time to meet one tomorrow, the other lives in another state.  We kept getting disconnected because he's in the middle of nowhere at the moment. We got caught up on the basics and made plans to talk again when he returns to civilization in a few weeks.  I still have three more on my list, two are in other states and I need to set up a time to meet with the third.

Calling those friends in succession reminded me of when Homer was calling everyone in his family to prove to Lisa that not all the Simpsons are loser and he asked Marge, "Marge, get me your address book, four beers, and my conversation hat".  Unfortunately, I can't find a YouTube video of it :(

I'm really happy that I finally just took the plunge and contacted my friends, and it didn't take up too much of my time! Every time I read the poem Around the Corner by Charles Hanson Towne I think of all my friends I want to remain in contact with but don't because of school or distance.  I guess part of the reason why I don't feel the pressing need to regularly keep in touch with friends is because I've had friends that I was separated from for years without contact and we met up again by chance, we pretty much just picked up where we left off.  Hell, I'm even dating one such case, that's why I like the picture below, I think it totally applies to me.  I have the type of personality where I just feel comfortable with my friends after long separations and I understand that people have different layers of friendships and different types of friends, not every friend has to be your attached-at-the-hips bff.  I mean, we are adults after all, friendships are built on more than who have homeroom with.  Never the less, I'm trying to change my behavior and stay in contact with my friends more regularly. It's one of my resolutions for the month and for life, contact at least one old friend a weekend.  I'll let you know how my resolution goes.

Around the corner I have a friend,

In this great city that has no end,

Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,

And before I know it, a year is gone.

And I never see my old friends face,

For life is a swift and terrible race,

He knows I like him just as well,

As in the days when I rang his bell.

And he rang mine but we were younger then,

And now we are busy, tired men.

Tired of playing a foolish game,

Tired of trying to make a name.

"Tomorrow" I say! "I will call on Jim

Just to show that I'm thinking of him",

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,

And distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner, yet miles away,

"Here's a telegram sir," "Jim died today."

And that's what we get and deserve in the end.

Around the corner, a vanished friend.