Saturday, May 19, 2012

I'll be your best friend...

Friend, friends, friendship.
Support, support groups, get togethers.

Absolutely integral to our life. I need help. I need someone to talk to. What can I do for you? How can I help?

There's movies made about friends. Toy Story comes to mind. Ferris Bueller's Day Off shows Cameron and Ferris helping each other.

We have music. Jeremiah was a Bull Frog, was a good friend of mine. Simon and Garfunkle did a nice job singing Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water.

This wonderful lady, mom, homeschooling guru, community leader, homeschooler of three boys. Introduced last blog. Initials: AF. She's a good friend to our family. She gives hugs. And great advice. She knows her stuff.

When we first pulled Jack out of traditional school, AF helped us. In many ways. Guided us. She also made a comment that has haunted us. AF said we would make and meet many new friends in the homeschooling community. Which we have. She also said, to Jack's mom directly, "You will lose a few friends. You'll lose a friend you would never expect to lose. A close friend." And her words disappeared into the air.

Did you ever see the movie, My Cousin Vinny? There's this scene about a broken water faucet where Marisa Tomei says to Joe Pesci, "... dead on balls accurate." Pesci repeats, "Dead on balls accurate?"

Accuracy is a good thing. Usually. Especially when recalling the past.
Tough to be accurate when foretelling the future.

Jack's best buddy in school is Billy. For years. They play together. Create music together. With drums and guitars. Create video games together. With both their names on the finished product. Will be in business together in the not too distant future. Partners. Friends. Best friends.

Jack's mom and Billy's mom, Jenny are also great friends. Coffee together. Talk together. Help each other. Don't consider differences. Trust one another. Jenny and Jack's mom, buddies.

We took Jack out of school to homeschool him. About three months ago. Since then Jack has not seen or talked with Billy. Since then Jack's mom has not visited with Jenny. Jenny answered a text, finally. After many, many texts. Phone call messages have gone unanswered.

After three weeks or so, Jenny answered that she is Soooo Busy. And Billy is away... visiting...

And so AF's words reappear, come back out of thin air, "You'll lose a friend... a close friend." .

Jack's mom and dad discuss Jenny and Billy. Discuss what AF said.

We come to realize a down side of homeschooling.

Jack's dad: AF said... you'll lose a friend.

Jack's mom: "Yes, But did she have to be so goddamned, dead on, accurate?"

Tears.

A friendship dying.
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But wait. There's more.

No time for crying. We have breaking news.

A special graduation party is coming up in a couple of weeks. Billy will be there. Jack will see his best friend for the first time in three months. Don't know about Billy's mom attending. We hope she will.
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And now, finally, a Jack update: Jack is doing great over the last three months. Becoming more independent. Motivated. Realizes he is capable of so many things, even without a teacher standing over him. Much happier. Experiencing freedom. Being free.

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Still, after all is said and done, it hurts to lose a friend.

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