When I was a kid I had two friends, Tom and Charlie. We did everything together until one day Tom and Charlie fell out. Forty years later I still don’t know what caused the argument but I do remember that both of them told me that I had to choose one of them as my friend. This wasn’t something that I wanted to do. I had being enjoying my friendship with them equally. Charlie was intelligent and could think of things for all three of us to do. While Tom was a thinker who didn’t really take things at face value.
In the end I chose neither to be my friend. I didn’t think it was fair on me. So I retreated from both of them. It helped that we all went to different secondary schools. That meant we rarely saw each other. I know Tom never said another word to Charlie and I don’t think Charlie tried to heal the rift that had caused the division.
I made new friends in school and I’m sure Tom and Charlie did too. Looking back I think it is quite sad that the friendship we had developed when we were younger had dissolved. I really did enjoy both guys company.
I often wanted to ask the two of them what the argument was about but it had been so long ago I doubt they could recall or would want to recall. Which is a pity. Both guys were genuinely fun to be around. I don’t know what either of them is doing now. I don’t know if they are married, have children. Just like I don’t know what the argument was about. I don’t know what either one is doing or where they are living.
