What happens when one of your very close friends becomes just another friend? Can we really use the excuse of "We just grew apart"? I recently experienced that. My friend "Rockets", "Medic", and I used to be close. We were actually three guys who spent a whole bunch of time together. We had met because we all worked for the same company. A friendship developed and evolved into something we called a sisterhood. We were so close that people who met us thought we had some sort of three-way boyfriend thing happening.

A few years into our sisterhood, I entered my long-term relationship. It had the usual strain of me being away from the sisterhood but eventually, I remembered that they are my family and I needed to go back. Medic also developed some serious health problems which brought the three of us very close. Medic had to leave NYC for calmer pastures. I continue to be part of his life albeit from 1000 miles away. Rockets, well, same ole, same ole.

Rockets has not changed at all. He continues to be the hard partying drunk that we all were 10 years ago. He no longer keeps in touch with Medic and occasionally does things with me. But, because he prefers to hang out in bars and drink, I have slowly refrained from hanging out with him. He actually once said that Medic and I were more fun when we were drunks and junkies. Nice, eh?

So, tomorrow, I am having lunch with Rockets. As usual, he wants to go to the same place that he always goes to. I told him we would meet in front of it but I wanted to go somewhere else where salmonella was not on the menu. As much as I have fun eating junk food, I have stopped because I can no longer endure the effect it has on my system.

I know Rockets will want to have cocktails after lunch. I will decline since I am headed to the Madonna concert that evening. He'll say that I was more fun when I was snorting crystal. I'll give him a dirty look. We'll say our goodbyes. And we'll meet again a few months down the road.

I hate that he continues to just destroy his body by drinking like mad. He doesn't think that he has a problem. I don't have the desire to even argue that out. He does have another friend who seems to be watching out for him. Not sure how that really works since the other friend has discovered the party circuit. I've tried to talk to him about his habits but to no avail. If he needs my help, he knows it's there. That's really all I can offer. Or want to offer.

I guess, we just grew apart. Later.  ¶ 11:30 PM