I have this amazing friend. She is a fellow blogger. Many years ago, 4 of us decided that we wanted to put a face to the words and we sacrificed our WordPress anonymity for a get-together. We all hit it off and became real-life friends. I became particularly close with one and we have served as each other’s confidantes and support system as each of us navigated the challenges of family, chronic illness, and life in general. And despite our distance, we maintain contact. We both believe in the mantra that friendship doesn’t require constant communication, but instead to pick right up where you left off when you reconnect.
We earned the right to bestow upon each other the role of 2 AM friend. The 2AM friend is a coveted distinction. It implies that no matter what time of day, especially early morning, if you need to talk then you can call and the other will pick up.
Well, shame on me. The other night I got a 1:35 AM call from her and in my sleeping stupor I ended the call. I didn’t even look who was calling, I just assumed it was a butt-dial.
When I saw the next morning who had called I reached out. “Was that a butt-dial?”, I asked.
It wasn’t. She was in a bad place and needed to talk to someone and she chose me. And I wasn’t there for her.
What fucking good does being a 2AM friend if you don’t answer the call? Shame on me. If you’re reading this my dear friend please know that I feel terrible and if you choose to give me another chance I won’t let you down.
Yes, I apologized to her already but I felt the need to put it to paper.
The Tao of Bill 