I remember the day we met like it was yesterday. My family had just moved into the neighborhood and I, being the little kid I was, found out that the neighbors had a kid my age. You and your mom came over and introduced yourselves and that was the beginning to a long great friendship. We would hang out almost every day, since you weren’t more than a house away. I remember your mom gave us rides to school since my mom had to go to work early in the mornings. I was such a small kid but I was the older one and we would watch each other’s backs during recess. We were the best of friends and nothing could tear us apart.

The day came though when your parents decided that they were going to move away. It wasn’t like an in-the-city move either. You were moving all the way from Wisconsin to Arizona. I thought I would never see you again, and that it would be impossible to keep in touch. I remember the day you said goodbye before you left. I was just a second grader and you were a year younger than me, we didn’t understand. You and your mom came over just like that first day, but instead of saying hello you said goodbye. I cried like a baby, and couldn’t make out any words but I hoped that we would stay friends.

We still stayed in touch a little bit through the phone but we were just too young for email or online gaming, yet. What helped to stay in touch was that you still had family back here in Wisconsin. You started to come back for about a month each summer to stay with your grandma. That was always great because during that month we were able to be the best of friends again. You always went to Kentucky for a week during that month for a family reunion and you invited me to come. That became a ritual with us. We would always wait for that month in the summer when you came back and we could enjoy a hyperactive week together. It was always upsetting though when you had to go back to Arizona.

I remember the day we realized that distance really meant nothing to us about being best friends. We were in high school and we both had gotten the Xbox 360. We added each other on that and played video games together all day every day. Despite the distance, we still found out ways to do stuff together all the time.

Not only did we have a lot in common that kept us together through the years, we were always there for each other for a shoulder, or at least a digital shoulder. The greatest thing about our friendship was that we knew that if anything was wrong we had each other to talk to. We might have had our arguments through time but they were always resolved in little to no time.

The last time you were in town we made sure to go to the local amusement park and had a blast. I remember that we made sure to challenge ourselves by going on the brand new roller coaster that scared us half to death, but we wouldn’t admit that. I still have a picture of us on that day and I keep it in my wallet at all times. If I ever have a hard time getting through the day, I know that I have a friend somewhere that is there for me.

You are more than a friend, you are a brother. I know, I have been ultra-busy with classes lately, but I am always here if you ever need me and I know you are the same for me. I can’t wait to see you again. You are my friend that almost got away.