Speak My Mind

If there is one thing I’m known for it’s never being afraid to say what’s on my mind. Granted, what I have to say may not make me a lot of friends, but those aren’t real friends anyway. A true friend listens to what you have to say, tries to look at things from your point of view, and then decides whether they agree with you or not. Either way, they remain your friend. At least that’s how I felt this whole friendship thing was supposed to work, but maybe I was wrong.

Benny and I have been friends, or maybe I should say had been friends, since kindergarten. We studied together, played on the same sports teams, attended the same university, and eventually worked for the same company. There was no one on the planet that I felt more comfortable speaking my mind to than Benny. That’s not to say we always agreed on everything, but we could always agree to disagree about a particular topic and move on. At least that’s how it was until Carol showed up.

Carol was attractive, but not movie star beautiful, and intelligent, but by no means a genius. What she did have was a magnetic personality that drew men and women to her like flies to a pile of dung. Benny immediately became the lead fly in the swarm that followed her. Possibly my skeptical personality saved me, or maybe Carol and I were too similar to be attracted to one another, but whatever the reason, we were like fire and ice.

In the beginning I remained at arm’s length, hoping Benny would come to his senses and see her for what she was, a world-class manipulator. Instead, he only became deeper and deeper ensnared in her web of lies and deceit. In time, remaining on the sidelines was no longer an option; I had to take action or watch my best friend’s life crumble into oblivion.

One pleasant May morning, Benny asked me if I would join him on a shopping expedition, but he neglected to mention what we were shopping for. The bomb dropped as we pulled up to the local jewelry store. I had done my best to keep how I felt about Carol under wraps, but it was now time to remove the gloves. Being tactful wasn’t my strong suit, and I did my best to create the most compelling argument possible as to why this was a disastrous idea. During the hour of heated discussion that followed, I did my best to present my case, but for every point I made, he countered with an equally strong point. We were deadlocked, with neither of us willing to yield. Eventually, tempers cooled, and we begrudgingly agreed to remain friends but go our separate ways.

Later that year, Benny and Carol married. I was invited to the wedding, but felt it best if I didn’t attend. That all happened ten years ago. They now have two children, a house in the burbs, and what appears to be a happy life together. Benny and I still see each other at company outings and school reunions, and Carol treats me courteously out of respect for her husband’s feelings, as do I her for the same reason. I accepted a promotion in a different state and will be leaving the area soon. We’ve talked about visiting, but everyone knows it will never happen. Occasionally, I think about how things would have been different if I had kept my opinions to myself. It’s true what they say about not being able to take back what has already been said, so be careful what you say.