What are Friends for, Anyway?

I had an issue, a problem you might say,

something technological which I did not

understand, a dilemma dealing with my

cellphone service. The woman rep on

the other side of the line asked me for

my password. Hell, I’ve had this service

for quite a long time now, and never had

the need to use my password. With that

at my age, old and forgetful about so

much more these days, I don’t rightly

know where to begin. Who is your best

friend, she then prompted me with her

line of questioning? Damn, I told her,

given my current reclusive and shut-in

condition, I don’t have friends anymore

let alone a best one. And conversely,

no one is likely to consider being a best

friend to me. I took a stab at it anyway,

coming up with the name of my best

friend when I was a kid. Try Larry, I said

to her as my last ditch reply. But not a

sound came from her. Did that work, I

asked? And to my surprise, it did. Oh my

God, I thought to myself, after 65-years,

I still had the memory of Larry as a best

friend whose name now thoughtfully

came to the rescue out of the blue. Even

so, the operator had no idea how to resolve

the issue at hand. I was frustrated to say

the least, but by this time I had resigned to

the fact that my problem along with Larry

again would eventually fade away. Perhaps

one day, I considered as a consolation, should

Larry need to remember me as his best friend,

I would have somehow returned the favor.

What are best friend for, anyway?

                     -30-

Chris Hanch 12-30-19