While I was growing up, I went through a tough period in life when bullying at school was pretty rough. I remember the moments when friends would stand up for me and how great it felt. The sad part was as the bullying continued through out the years, my friends stopped standing up for me and started to join in.  I had a horrible feeling no would one would stand up for me again.

During college I worked at Red Lobster. It was during this job I was finally able to become comfortable with my sexuality and come out. Shortly after coming out, I made a new friend Craig who really became my best gay bud. He was fun to hang out with and we were connected at the hip. We just had many adventures along the way. Stacey, who had been my friend for awhile, completed our little group and we would spend many of our lunches together, shopping and laughing at the misadventures we had.

Stacey and I planned to go with Craig to Blizzard beach. We woke up early so excited to go and drove to pick him up at his house. We knocked on the door and he did not answer. We knocked again and still no answer. We paged him (yes we had pagers back then) and still no response. It was so odd but we drove off and enjoyed our day.

The next day, Craig came into work and never spoke of the event. I started to ask how he was and he gave me the silent treatment. I started wondering if it was something I did or something I said. Through others I learned he found this boyfriend and they were now dating. He never mentioned this to me or why he suddenly was no longer speaking to me. Everyone at work was shocked at his behavior because they also never heard why he stopped talking to me. It wasn’t something I did or said, it was just who I was and I was no longer welcomed into his world.

Stacey and I continued to hang out and do our lunches. About a month or 2 passed with Craig still not talking to me but I had grown use to it and really had just moved on. I was in the kitchen checking out and about to head to lunch. That is when Craig walked in and asked where I was going. I was shocked because we had gone from best friends to not speaking at all to all of sudden a conversation. I mentioned Stacey and I were heading out for lunch and he said he wanted to come. I didn’t know what to say. It was so odd. I just stared and then walked away.

Stacey was waiting for me at the bar and as we started to leave, Craig came out and said, “HEY! Wait for me I want to go to lunch with you guys. Come on guys it has been forever. We used to be friends!”

Stacey, without hesitation, said, “The key word is “used” to be.” I bursted out laughing and we left the restaurant.

Stacey stood up for me that day. She didn’t care that Craig wanted to be friends again. He has ditched me or even us and it wasn’t right. Normally, I would have been a sucker and let him right back in but I didn’t. I had moved on with the help from her.

It wasn’t long after that Craig stopped working there and Stacey and I continued our friendship. People come in and out of our lives. We lose touch and contact but there are those moments you will never forget. The moments when a friend is a true friend.

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