See you later

Eric (8) hopped up and down and punched his fists in the air.  Then he turned to his pal, Jackson.  

“Strike!” Eric shouted as he slapped Jackson with a high five.  As the pinsetter reset the game, the boys rushed over to the ball return and watched it spit Eric’s ball back into the hopper. 

Jackson and Eric have known each other since they were four months old when they started at the same day care during the same week in February of 2003.  The boys had a lot in common right from the start.  They were both born in the the fall of 2002.  They both liked to sleep, eat and cry at regular intervals.  And they both had great smiles. 

Over the next few years, Jackson and Eric shared common interests and experiences. They started walking and talking around the same time.  They were potty trained a few weeks apart.  They learned to spell and print their names.  They went through the trucks, cars, and superhero phases - though Jackson preferred Batman and Eric favored Spiderman.  They literally grew up together. 

For five years Eric saw Jackson almost every day - until they graduated from preschool and went to separate elementary schools. After that, although the boys didn’t spend every day together, Jackson’s mom and I made it a point to set up play dates.  We even went camping together.  And, all the while, Jackson and Eric continued to grow as friends.

Last April, I felt my heart sink when Jackson’s mom told me their family would be moving to Seattle.  Jackson was Eric’s first and longest friend.  It made me sad to think the boys wouldn’t go swimming or camping together anymore. And the boys wouldn't learn to drive a car together or go on double dates.

“I guess that’s it.” I thought.  “Eric’s longest friendship is over.”

Ten months later, Jackson’s family visited Illinois over the Christmas holidays and invited Eric for an afternoon of bowling.  As the day grew nearer, I wondered how the boys would react to seeing each other after their long separation. 

After all, Jackson had changed a lot in ten months.  He had grown taller. He was living in a new town.  He had new friends, a new house, and a new school.  Eric had changed too.  He was playing ice hockey in the winter and soccer in the spring.  He had made new friends; and had grown a bit too.

I thought the boys’ reunion might go one of two ways.  Either they would rush together and throw their arms around each other or they would hang back shyly as if they didn’t know each other. To my surprise, neither of those things happened.  Instead, Jackson and Eric walked into the bowling alley, waved hello to each other, and picked up exactly where they had left off ten months prior.  It was as if no time had passed.

Over the next hour, the boys bowled, ate French Fries, spilled their pop, and laughed.  When it came time to leave, Eric pulled on his coat and hat, raised his hand and waived. 

“See you later.”  He said.

Jackson waved back.  “See you later.”

Now that’s friendship.