Friendship and Loyalty

A boss at one of my old companies couldn't understand a friendship I had with someone there. Didn't understand why/how we could lean on each other in the toughest of times and hung out together.

He just didn't get it until one day about 3 years ago when I got a call from a friend in NJ. Our buddy Bill's dad passed away and Andy called me to ask if I still lived in NJ if I would make the drive to North Carolina for the funeral. My first question for Andy was what time he wanted to pick me up at my parents house. As we talked, I booked a flight for the next day to fly to NJ and the plan was to take a nap after I got to my parent's house and Andy to pick me up so we could drive together to NC for the service. For me it would be about 5000 miles in 2.5 days...

I walked into his office the next day, told him I was leaving for the airport at noon and would be back in a couple days. He asked what was going on and I told him. Told my other friend at work too because from all the stories she heard, she felt like she knew Bill and Andy as well.

Me, Bill and Andy are like brothers. I've known Andy since kindergarden and Bill since 7th grade. 30+ years... to me it was a no-brainer that I would do this - for Bill, for Andy, for Bill's mom and sister and for me as well. You don't grow up with someone like that and not get attached to the family, so it was natural.

While I was in NC, something blew up at work with my other friend and when I got back, I went off on someone because of it.

A few days later, my boss pulled me aside and proceded to tell me that he "finally understood what value I place in friendships..."

Unfortunately, all I could think to myself is "DUH! That's what it's all about..."

It's a shame that some people just don't understand what friendship is... being there...